Enemies on All Sides
Date: 2018-10-28 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Science Fiction
Description: The game never changes, only the players do. Others might call it rebellion, call it cowardice. The Vanguard will not forgive, nor will they forget. Their trust lays with one another, in those who have shed blood with them and joined the Net. Empires, governments, leaders, alliances, planets, corporations—many have fallen in humanity’s past. Now a new empire will stand on the shoulders of the Vanguard, the troopers, the people of Tricticus, and the Victor Corporation. Their goal: survive and defend those they care for. By any means necessary.

Enemies All Sides

Michael Chatfield

Dawn Chapman

Maraukian Wars

Book 4

Chapter One

Brass Jackals’ Complex

Earth, Sol System

5/3556

“I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a…” The words Voras Jakab had been about to finish died in his throat as he looked at the five men in powered armor and the man wearing a business suit.

“Mister Fai, what brings you here?” Voras jumped up and shot a glare at Yan Dres, his second-in-command, for not alerting him earlier.

Yan could only stand there sheepishly as Mister Fai, the man in the business suit, sat in one of the chairs facing Voras.

Even though he was in the guest seat, he ruled the space with his simple actions, waving for Voras to join him.

Mister Fai was from the Luyten Conglomerate. They might be a massive company with great resources, but like many of the corporations, there were many things that they weren’t able to do themselves but they would get the gangs to do it. The Brass Jackals was one of the gangs that worked for the Luyten Conglomerate.

“I’ve been given an order from the shareholders,” Mister Fai said lazily.

Voras gulped, his back covered in sweat.

“It looks like to us that the Westerly Three Complex Crew has become a blight. We wish to remove them,” Mister Fai said.

Voras was annoyed with the Westerly Three Complex Crew for their overbearing ways but the fact of the matter was that they brought stability to the slums of Earth.

They worked with the greenhouses, which were the powerhouses of the slums. Without them, people would simply starve on Earth.

Their people weren’t weak and they had powerful fighting strength.

Fai judged Voras’s reaction. Voras, knowing Mister Fai and his tendencies, waited for him to finish talking.

“We are mobilizing all of our forces from your own Brass Jackals to the Faceless Ones and Pistol Monkeys. We will also be supplying gear. And we don’t want you to destroy all of the Westerly Three Crew—just simply remove this woman.”

With Mister Fai’s words, Voras’s excitement climbed. He received the picture and opened it, finding the head of the Westerly Three Crew looking back at him.

He suppressed a shiver as he looked at the cold eyes of a former Regiment Warrant Officer Dominguez.

She might have been a trooper in the past, but now she’s just a simple woman running a gang. Gang leaders get cut down all the time. I just have to make sure that she is isolated.

“We will give you one week.” Mister Fai took out a folder and passed it to Voras.

Voras wanted to argue back, but he knew the truth: this was an order. If he didn’t carry it out, he wouldn’t be useful to the Luyten Conglomerate anymore and they would destroy him and his gang.

“Understood. It will be done.”

“Good. Don’t let us down.” Mister Fai stood and shook his suit, as if to rid himself of the dirt that came with talking with Voras. His guards moved around him as they walked out of Voras’s office.

Voras looked through the folder that had a list of information on Dominguez’s movements in the coming week.

Chapter Two

Greenhouse Emasia

Earth, Sol System

5/3556

Dominguez reviewed the shipment information with the greenhouse managers and checked on how the Westerly Three Crew protectors were acting. It was an ongoing process and she would randomly drop in to check on how things were operating.

Today was no different.

She rode in an unarmored truck with a machine gun mounted on the roof. The controller was using the screens to check the surroundings as the horn blared, telling people to get out of the way.

Few people had cars, and even less with mounted machine guns on their roofs. This showed that they weren’t from a simple gang and shouldn’t be fucked with.

The truck was unmarked so people wouldn’t know which gang they came from.

Dominguez rocked with the truck as one of the troopers with her nearly bounced out of their seat.

Another grabbed them and pulled them back down just as another dip in the road made the whole vehicle dip and rise.

“We’ve got a dust storm coming in. Looks like it’ll be a bad one,” the co-driver and the leader of Dominguez’s security detail said.

“Afraid of getting a bit of red dust down your crack, Phillips?” Dominguez asked.

“Urgh, don’t remind me,” Phillips complained.

Dominguez grinned as she kept reviewing the information on her tablet. The others with her laughed. They might be her security detail but they had become close over the past years and it was hard for them to be serious all of the time.

“Coming up on the greenhouse in fifteen,” the driver, a wild woman by the name of Fish, said as they hit another dip in the “road,” which was nothing more than barely passable alleys and broken cermite and asphalt from times past.

A trail of dust followed them as they rushed between houses.

Part of the reason Dominguez chose to look at her screen instead of out the front window was seeing Fish’s driving was enough to turn her into a backseat driver—and a terrible one at that.

The truck rolled through the slums and the wind started to pick up. It looked as though Phillips was right.

They exited the slums and arrived in front of a building. Like most in the slums, it had been slapped together from the materials that the owners could find.

The main difference was the size of the building and the fact that one could see greenery and plants inside the building. There were multiple levels all growing different items.

Weapon emplacements occupied the highest points, their weapons looking over the area as people wearing Westerly Three Complex patches moved in roving patrols.

Weapons didn’t track on the truck as they knew of Dominguez’s arrival.

The truck came to a halt. Its rear door faced the front door of the greenhouse, which opened to reveal people wearing face masks and clothes meant to keep the red dust out.

Dominguez’s protection detail moved out of the truck, looking for threats. All of them wore what was the trooper basic armor and space suit, which protected them from the elements and regulated their temperature.

“Clear,” Phillips said after a few moments.

Dominguez put away her pad, grabbed her rifle, and stepped out of the truck, wearing her armor as well.

She moved to the representatives; they exchanged bows before indicating to return to the greenhouse. The wind was already reaching the stage where the red dust was getting stirred up and conversation was becoming impossible.

They entered the main doors of the greenhouse. The doors closed behind them, acting like an air lock, closing off the outside world and letting them into the calmer world of the greenhouse.

They moved through a few more doors and guards before they were actually inside the gardens. People moved through the different fields, checking on the different plants and vegetation.

These plants were incomparable to the ones that had been grown in the greenhouse before the Victors returned from Sacremon and made a contract with them over the use of the new seeds they’d found and information on gardening.

There were multiple different areas, all of them working together to increase the rate at which crops grew and the size that they could reach.

There were a few animals here and there, but meat was mostly grown. It cost too many resources to raise livestock, but to grow them was much more feasible.

They talked about new numbers, how they could increase the rate at which they grew food, expansion plans and defensive problems if any had come up.

***

Voras looked over the information display mounted on his arm. The powered armor had taken some time to work with but its abilities were incredible. Voras felt as if he were some kind of god when inside the powered armor.

All of the gangs under the Luyten Conglomerate had moved through the slums, having to hide themselves in different ways so as to not cause people to be suspicious.

Now they were moving through the buildings around the greenhouse. They moved through the sewers, the powered armor keeping out the smell. They walked through ditches, all moving to encircle the area.

Voras couldn’t help but smile as the storm passing overhead picked up.

It would decrease the Westerly Three Complex Crew’s visibility.

He had heard rumors that they had some kind of air support. In these conditions, it would be impossible for them to bring in more reinforcements or support Dominguez and the limited forces located in the greenhouse.

The Brass Jackals was the largest gang, which allowed them to suppress the Faceless Ones and Pistol Monkeys.

The Pistol Monkeys loved to wear tattoos and as many pistols as possible. They looked ridiculous to Voras, but they were damn good shots and in close quarters combat, they were some scary mother fuckers.

The Faceless Ones were something strange. They all wore masks, and never took them off. Their masks looked the same and their clothes were all uniform.

Even with the powered armor, they had affixed their masks to their helmets so no one could see their faces. They all praised their leader and the reality was that their gang was closer to a cult in many ways.

If it was his choice, he wouldn’t work with such crazies but there was nothing to do other than use them as cannon fodder.

All of the gangs were moving to surround the greenhouse from all sides.

Nothing could go wrong or else they would draw the ire of the Luyten Conglomerate down on their heads.

Chapter Three

Freighter O-41 (Wind Snapper)

In Transit from Emarl to the Hellenic System

5/3556

Moretti woke up to an alarm ringing beside his ear. In moments, he had his NIAI upload the information that his subordinates had said was of the highest importance.

“Shit!” Moretti leapt out of bed. His hands started to move, using his NIAI interface as he accessed the long-range communication system.

“M?” Dominguez’s voice sounded. She didn’t sound pleased but if Moretti was flashing her an important message, she knew it was in her best interest to pick up.

“They’ve got you surrounded! The Luyten Conglomerate got orders from someone to remove you. They’re putting the Brass Jackals, Faceless Ones, and Pistol Monkeys against you. They’ve got heavy weaponry and I think armor,” Moretti said, quickly scanning through the information.

The order had been passed from the Luyten Conglomerate to the people on the ground a week ago, but it had been quiet as the conglomerate shareholders had directly contacted the informants, making it slower for Moretti to find out what was happening.

Now that he knew what was going on, the information was coming in and he was able to unravel who was behind these actions.

Senator Rimateus, he silently cursed in his mind. But it didn’t matter in this circumstance. After all, it wasn’t information that was particularly useful for those on the ground as it wouldn’t give them any advantage cursing people who weren’t there.

“Shit. Got it,” Dominguez said.

She cut the channel as Moretti kicked himself inside. This was his job. If he only knew about these things as they were happening or afterward, then what use was there in having him around?

If they were relying on him, then it would make them all the worse.

Chapter Four

Greenhouse Emasia

Earth, Sol System

5/3556

“Defensive positions, we’re in the middle of an ambush!” Dominguez’s voice was heard by the protection detail as well as the Westerly Three Complex Crew guards.

With her words, they rushed to their ready stations.

“They’re after me, so we’ll lead them on a chase out of here,” Dominguez told Phillips.

“I’m here to protect, not put you in danger,” Phillips said.

“Warrant,” Dominguez said in a dangerous voice.

“Yes, ma’am.” He grit his teeth. He didn’t like the choice but there was nothing that he could do.

Dominguez looked to the manager and his subordinates who couldn’t hear her talking.

“Is something wrong?” He looked alarmed as Dominguez checked her rifle was loaded.

“There are three gangs moving in on this area and they have heavy weapons and armor,” Dominguez said.

The manager looked stunned. The greenhouses hadn’t been attacked in decades; it had given them a false sense of security.

It lasted for only a minute before the manager turned to their subordinates. “Get everyone secure in the defensive bunkers! Secure our data and the hybrids we’re working on.”

“Vehicle is good and ready to go,” Fish said.

“Moving to you.” Dominguez turned and ran for the main doors.

***

Voras knew something was up as the greenhouse started to show more activity and people moved to the different weapon systems mounted across the greenhouse’s walls.

The up-armored truck moved closer to the main door, its turret tracking across the area.

Voras was covered by the storm that had blanketed the area with swirling red dust. One couldn’t even see fifteen feet if they were using their own eyes.

Voras, knowing how the red dust storms came and went, had used small robots to move closer to the greenhouse so that they wouldn’t lose sight of the building or what was going on.

“Looks like all our preparations weren’t for shit.” The Pistol Monkeys leader laughed. He had wanted to just rush in and overpower Dominguez and her people with the powered armor, feeling as if he were invincible.

“We will have to lead the charge or we will all suffer,” the Faceless Ones leader said in a voice that was neither a woman’s or a man’s.

Voras knew that he couldn’t hold his people back anymore. “Hit the truck and open fire on them!” Voras yelled.

Yan stepped sideways, moving to the side of a building with a screamer missile launcher on his shoulder.

The truck’s heavy machine gun opened up. Its deep bassy noise filled the air as the buildings surrounding the greenhouse were left with fist-sized holes.

The armored gang members opened fire as they could, a few of them cut down by the gun.

Yan fired his missile as the truck’s gun tracked over to him. It could be heard even over the wind of the storm as it tore through the red dust and slammed into the truck.

The truck’s armor panels exploded and the side of the truck was dented inward. The truck shifted over a few feet as well.

Another gang member with a screamer. Its hellish noise filled Voras with hope as it hit the side of the truck. Armored panels were blown outward by the force of the explosion as the truck was turned into nothing more than burning wreckage.

The heavy weapons fire from the truck paused for a second with the destruction of the truck before continuing.

Gang members rushed the defensive position. If they could get inside and kill Dominguez first, then they’d get great merits.

Mines that had been buried around the greenhouse were activated. The gang members didn’t even know what was going on as the ground exploded underneath them as they tried to find some kind of cover from the machine guns firing down on them.

Rounds hit the walls of the greenhouse, cutting through and damaging the plants inside and hitting people who were trying to get to the safety of the greenhouse bunkers.

The howling storm made it inside the holes made from the destruction.

Screamers hit the walls, or shot off into the sky as machine gun emplacements were destroyed or they fought onward.

The simple fact was that there were too few of the defenders and their weapon systems compared to the three gangs that were attacking them.

***

Dominguez ducked into cover as rounds ripped through the thin wall that separated the greenhouse plants from the exterior world.

People were yelling and screaming as their peaceful life was turned into chaos in seconds. These people might be working in the greenhouses but they were still people from the slums.

Many of them grabbed weapons that they kept and started to fire back. This was their home—they weren’t going to give it up without a fight.

“Trina, what are we looking like for support?” Dominguez peeked over the planter she was behind and fired back at the gangs that were hosing the building with rounds and missiles.

“Air support is out. Long-range weaponry won’t make it. I’ve got a group getting suited up in Defender Armor and they’re going to be moving by truck till they’re close and they can move on foot to assist. I’ve got a company strength ready. They’re going to take nearly an hour to get to you, though.” Trina didn’t try to hide her frustration.

“Shit. Well, there’s nothing to do, Trina. We’ll do our best.” Dominguez ducked back down and ran to a new place as the Westerly Three Crew and gardeners fired and moved.

The Westerly Three Crew might look like nothing more than an extremely large gang on the outside, but all of them had been trained up with the standards of the troopers in mind.

Many of them chose to stay with the gang instead of going to the EMF now, the reason being that there were more opportunities and those who stayed were offered an advancement where if they passed the testing then they would become an official member of the Victor Corporation fighting force or go on to join the Victor Corporation.

***

Phillips was organizing the security detail as they tried to push back the attackers. He slammed into the fallen table that Dominguez was reloading behind. “Dominguez, we need to get you into the tunnels!” Phillips yelled.

“Fuck that!” Dominguez yelled. She wasn’t about to just run off and leave her people there. Just as she was about to go on, there was another incoming message from Moretti.

“Go!” She turned and raised her rifle. She sent round after round at the moving shadows or where tracers were coming. The visibility was getting worse under the red dust storm.

The gangs knew that they were going in the right direction but they didn’t know about the mines. Their communications had been cut off by Voras, who found them too annoying to deal with.

This was leading to a problem with them fighting one another to try to get to Dominguez.

“Looks like they’re directly targeting you, like they don’t care about anything other than killing you. I believe it was set up by Senator Rimateus. Based on what I’ve seen, he has some kind of connection with the Luyten Conglomerate and it looks like there was a merchant with some issues with Mark and the others who made Rimateus to use his connections to try to get back at us,” Moretti said.

“Does he think that I’m this easy to kill?” Dominguez yelled, pissed at the condescending nature of these all-powerful dipshits.

She didn’t blame Mark at all. He had done whatever he needed to; his fight was her fight, after all. It just looked like it was a bit closer now.

She linked Phillips in on the conversation.

“All right, Phillips, we’ll take the tunnels. That way, we can draw them away into the slums, where we’ll be able to move more. M, I need a way to make me show up for them and pull them away from the greenhouse,” Dominguez said.

Moretti made a noise as if he wanted to say something but it seemed that he thought better of it. “All right, I can get into their armor. There were some additions that Nivad had added to the armor while they were being designed; they passed through and people didn’t know. It’ll make it so that a number of sets of armor start to fail. I can also block them off from the Luyten Conglomerate and one another to create confusion.” Moretti spoke as he worked.

“Get it done and let me know when it’s good for me to start to move,” Dominguez said.

“Start moving now. The farther away you are, the more time they’ll need to catch up to you. I’ll start issuing warnings to the people in the areas you’re in—that will reduce civilian casualties and some of them will probably sell the information to the other gangs, making them have to turn and come after you. Unless they want to be destroyed by the Luyten Conglomerate, they’ll need to kill you,” Moretti said.

“Lovely. Great to be a big pain in their ass.” Dominguez pulled up the information on the tunnels as well as the information on where the enemy was, their reinforcements, and the rest.

It wasn’t looking good but this was the best choice she had out of a very shitty situation.

“Prepare to move!” Dominguez said to the protection detail as she sent a new plan update to Trina.

***

“What did you just say?” Voras demanded, raising a hand to his head to try to hear clearer.

“I have information on Dominguez’s whereabouts. She isn’t in the greenhouse.” The person on the other end of the line might not be someone with great power but there was no denying the smugness in their voice.

“Where!” Voras yelled. He needed to confirm this.

There was a possibility of the greenhouse having a way to escape. He didn’t think that they would have told Dominguez this kind of secret or that she would have run away. After all, it wasn’t like her personality at all; she seemed like the kind of woman who would fight through thick and thin with her people. It was one of her strongest attributes and why her people were willing to walk into hell for her without question.

“Information isn’t cheap,” the person said with a half laugh.

Voras wanted to yell at them, but there was no way to trace the call and if this person had good information, it wouldn’t take him long to verify it if that was the case. “How much? And say it quick.”

“Forty thousand credits, wireless,” the person said. An information packet was sent from the same number.

Voras hesitated and then accepted it. He couldn’t fuck this up or instead of riches, he would be the one on the executioner’s block.

“Good doing business with you.” The person left the channel as an information packet with blurry pictures appeared. It was hard to see what was going on clearly but there was a location data and time stamp, as well as the blurry image of people wearing trooper-like armor with Westerly Three patches on their shoulders.

Voras checked the location again and called someone else.

“What is it?” someone asked in a bored voice.

“I need to know if Dominguez and a group of Westerly Three people ran through the Chinto neighborhood,” Voras asked.

There was silence on the line.

“Sixty thousand credits,” the information broker said.

“Shit.” Voras cursed. If it had only been a few thousand, then there was no way that they could have gone through there. With the price so high, it was clear that the information broker knew more about where Dominguez was, and also knew that he was trying to attack the greenhouse she was in.

Voras sent the money without hesitation. “Send me her info. Keep it updated and I’ll pay three hundred thousand.”

“Understood.” The broker closed the call but a link appeared with an anonymous chat sending him messages on Dominguez’s position.

“Yan! I need you to take a group of people to this location. Take the Faceless Ones with you!” Voras wanted to confirm without a doubt; then he would rush to support Yan.

Voras saw a Pistol Monkey, standing out in the open and firing with his pistols, get cut down by rifle fire from within the greenhouse.

***

They’d really stirred up the hornet’s nest. It looked as if all of the people in the greenhouse were pissed off and fighting back as well. Dominguez’s eyes thinned as she saw red markers start to appear behind her and half of the protection detail she had taken with her. Phillips, Reese, and Berryman were with her.

She’d left the rest at the greenhouse to hold that position. If they could for another hour, then they would have reinforcements to push back the other three gangs.

Dominguez and the three with her slammed through piles of garbage and entered a street. Their sensors built into the suits worked at their max to try to find out what was on the other side of the street. The red dust made it impossible for them to see.

The red dust was made up of rust and sand. Most of the dirt across Earth had been turned to sand. And there were so many machines that had been brought to Earth that when they rusted, the flakes of rust had piled up, turning the dust red.

Many people said that it was because of the blood that had been spilt on Earth.

“Fuck it. If they want to ambush us, why can’t we do the same to them?”

Dominguez led them forward as Moretti watched over the situation. Even though he was between star systems, with the information network that he had created on Earth and the network that the Victor Corporation had sowed across known space, he was linked right in.

Although the information brokers thought that they were the best at their game and gave updates to Voras, Moretti was changing the information that they were getting and altering the messages before they could be sent so that Voras and Yan were getting out-of-date information and gave Dominguez more time to move.

The four people ran down a street with a bend in it.

“Here is good,” Dominguez said. They tossed out sensor bots as Dominguez picked out a house.

Berryman went first and crashed through a door; the others rushed in behind. They scanned the place. A family in the house looked scared as they tried to escape the storm.

The man of the house held a shotgun. Even if they were just normal folks, no one was unarmed in the slums.

“Get out of here—gang fight,” Phillips said.

The man looked at them all. Noticing their patches, he nodded and gathered his family together. They might be malnourished  and have a hard life, but they wouldn’t give it up easily. They pulled up their outerwear and headed off.

The others turned to the wall that faced the road and were already starting to pull out their blades and cut through the wall. It didn’t take them long to cut out firing ports in the wall.

They might not be able to see on the other side of the street but that was what the sensors they had thrown out were for if Moretti lost track of the powered armor.

“Here they come,” Dominguez said.

Everyone tensed up as they looked toward the fifty or so people who were rushing after them.

“Wish we had some fucking air support,” Berryman spat.

“Well shit, SNAFU, dude,” Reese said.

Berryman snorted but didn’t say anything else as he adjusted the repulsor in his shoulder.

“Ready,” Dominguez said in a hushed voice, the sound of the powered armor coming in and out as the wind whipped through the empty streets.

By the shadows alone, one wasn’t able to pick out where the armor was.

Thankfully, they had red markers telling them where their enemy was supposed to be.

Dominguez waited as they just reached the bend in the road. “Now!”

They opened fire as one. Dominguez and Phillips used their grenade launchers, dropping two grenades right into their midst. Berryman opened up with his repulsor; tracers filled the short street as people were cut down under the vicious fire.

Dominguez and Phillips fired their rifles instead of reloading their launchers, picking off the stragglers around Berryman’s cone of fire.

“Grenade!” Reese yelled as he threw out one grenade and got back into cover, running underneath a window before barging through another door and throwing out another grenade. The muffled thumps and sounds of dirt raining down were barely audible over the other’s weapons fire.

The weapons fire soon started to cut down. Dominguez and Phillips were looking for targets while Berryman looked over his smoking repulsor.

All of them had the newly upgraded weaponry.

Even in powered armor, their rounds were strong enough to punch through the armor and cut them down.

“Reloading.” Dominguez unloaded and reloaded her grenade launcher.

“Don’t look like there’s anything left alive in there,” Reese said from where he looked over the battlefield. The gang members didn’t have time to react, to try to get into cover. Unable to see their enemy, they had been easy targets.

“Let’s get a move on!” Dominguez said, her weapons reloaded.

“Good to go!” Berryman said.

“Reloading.” Phillips quickly replaced his grenade.

Dominguez, seeing them all ready, pushed out between two pieces of sheet metal that turned into a back door to the dwelling they’d been in.

***

Voras let out a yell and punched a wall as all of the life signs from the party he sent after Dominguez disappeared. “Fucker!”

Yan was his second-in-command but he was also someone he saw as his own son. Close relationships in the slum were only something to get used against you, so Voras didn’t tell anyone of how he wanted Yan to succeed him and thought of him as someone who would bring the Brass Jackals to new heights.

Now it would never be told or realized.

Voras now had some four hundred gang members forced to follow his orders through the power of the Luyten Conglomerate.

A channel opened from the Luyten Conglomerate. “Are you all a bunch of idiots? Why did you only send fifty after her! Kill her!” Mister Fai cut off the channel.

His words confirmed two things. One, he was watching the battle and two, that Dominguez was part of the group that had turned around and ambushed Yan and his people.

“Let’s go!” The leader of the Pistol Monkeys held a pistol in each hand as he rushed toward were Yan had been last.

Mister Fai had opened the information that Voras was looking over and shared it with everyone. Now there was little order to things, just a mad rush to kill off Dominguez, who was running for her life.

“Get me that bitch’s head!” Voras yelled.

The Faceless Ones leader waved their hand and their members rushed to complete their commands.

Behind them, the sounds of weapons fire dimmed until it ended.

The greenhouse had survived the battle but it was nearly completely ruined. There were people from the greenhouse as well as the Westerly Three Complex Crew and the three attacking gangs across the dirt and ruins.

Voras was filled with anger and frustration. Having his leadership ripped away from him, losing Yan, and getting yelled at by Fai: all of it served to make him want to do nothing more than kill Dominguez and her people.

***

“All right, people, we’re the reinforcements for General Dominguez! Looks like the corps want her gone. The Pistol Monkeys, Faceless Ones, and the Brass Jackals are all working together to hunt her down.

“She’s on the run, heading for us right now, but we need to move to secure her and pull her back to base.

“The gangs have powered armor and newer weapons. Their striking power shouldn’t be enough to get through our armor. That said, I don’t want anyone trying to fucking figure that out and show off.” Second Lieutenant Wei might look as if he were fresh from the streets of Earth, but the look in his eyes and the way he held himself told he was a veteran of battles. Surprisingly, he could find his asshole with only one hand. He’d taken a demotion in rank in order to be part of the Defender Armor program.

He had gained command of his own platoon of troopers trained in Defender Armor. The armor was stronger, lighter, and faster than the older armor that they had been wearing. It made them a powerful force to deal with on the battlefield. At least the simulations showed so.

“Disembark in five!” the truck driver yelled. In these conditions, trying to fly in a combat shuttle was asking for the engines to burn out. It meant that they had to do things the old-fashioned way: driving and then running.

“We’re here!”

The truck convoy came to a dead end. The rear opened up as the Defender Armor troopers jumped out of the back.

Sergeants took command as they headed for the four-man trooper team that was running their asses off toward them.

This was their first official mission and they couldn’t fuck it up. If they did, then Dominguez and the head of the Westerly Three Crew might die.

They had a chain of command but Dominguez and the other Victors had status as almost legends in the eyes of the people who knew of them.

They started to scale over the factories that had stopped working years ago. They jumped between beams that had been torn apart by some unknown force.

None of them talked, all of them grim-faced death dealers. It was time they showed just what the Westerly Three Crew was capable of.

Chapter Five

Resoi Building Complex

Earth, Sol System

5/3556

Dominguez grunted as she and Reese grabbed onto Berryman, hauling his heavy ass over the wall they had climbed.

They had made it out of the slums and into some of the factory districts. A few of the factory districts still worked, pumping out all kinds of goods.

The workers who saw them moved away; even the guards kept their distance. By now, the word was out that the Pistol Monkeys, Faceless Ones, and Brass Jackals were together and hunting down people from the Westerly Three Complex.

With this in mind, few people wanted to get involved and instead stood back and watched.

Gangs fought all the time; this kind of thing was normal to them. The fact that the figures and the groups were larger made it a problem that no one wanted to deal with.

Berryman flopped on the floor before picking himself up. “Eh, let’s go!” he yelled out. They started to run as the sound of rounds cracking out filled the air. The lead Pistol Monkeys were right behind them, firing at them.

“Get to cover!” Dominguez said.

Berryman was just turning when he caught three rounds and dropped to the ground.

Phillips fired his grenade launcher into the front rank of the Pistol Monkeys. They were blown apart and the others spread out, finding cover and shooting.

Reese was on Berryman, checking his vitals. “Nothing!” Reese yelled, the anger clear in his voice as he had just lost one of his best friends.

Dominguez had no words as she fired her grenade launcher at a wall near the Pistol Monkeys. The wall came down, burying a few of them and making it harder for them to see.

“We’ve got to go! Grab his repulsor,” Dominguez said.

“Yes, ma’am.” Reese checked the weapon while lying down. With a grunt, he started firing at the oncoming gangs, forcing them to stay in cover and fire wildly.

“Covering!” Reese yelled.

“Moving!” Phillips and Dominguez said.

They rushed backward, reciting, I’m up—he sees me—I’m down. They lurched for the nearest cover and turned around to cover Reese.

“Covering!” Phillips and Dominguez yelled. Tracers ripped through the factory as the security guards and workers rushed away or hid in what cover they could find.

A Faceless One rushed out, to be cut down by Reese.

A grenade exploded somewhere nearby and a Brass Jackal rushed forward with a screamer. They fired the thing but their aim was off as it slammed into a wall, blowing it up and making the entire large industrial building shake dangerously.

“Reese!” Dominguez yelled.

“Sorry, ma’am! I don’t think I can follow this order this time! I swore to protect you, and I can’t move right now,” Reese said.

Even though he was panting and he was fighting with everything he had, Dominguez’s heart twisted in her chest. She had heard that too many times when people sacrificed themselves for others.

Reese grabbed an ammunition box from Berryman’s corpse, firing with one hand as he worked to connect them. Dominguez and Phillips did what they could to cover the man as he did his best to multi-task.

He got them hooked together, giving him another box of ammunition to run himself through before he needed to move again.

Dominguez checked the atmosphere. The wind was still too fast for artillery to be accurate.

The Defender Armor was another ten minutes away now.

Reese was just fifteen feet away, but it felt as if he were on the other side of the planet.

“Dominguez,” Phillips bit out.

She knew that he hated even saying those words. He wasn’t just telling her to move; he was admitting that they had to leave Reese behind, that there was no way to save him.

Reese threw out a grenade that landed among a group of Brass Jackals who were trying to advance through a building that smacked up against the wall of the factory district.

They died in a hail of shrapnel but it was clear that the enemy would overrun him at some time. He had the wall and the alleyway beyond covered but the buildings on either side were all ways for people to get a bead on him.

“Go! Damn you! I’m a fucking trooper and I’ll die a trooper!” Reese yelled.

“Yes, you fucking are! Never give up!” Dominguez said.

“Never surrender! Now get the fuck out of here, Warrant!” Reese had met Dominguez when she was Mark’s warrant officer for an entire regiment. Now, decades later, they found themselves on a battlefield once again.

Dominguez picked herself up. “Moving!” she yelled, that yell trying to dull the pain she felt.

Phillips moved with her.

“Covering! Come on, you gang banger fucks!” Reese yelled out the last part through his speakers as he continued to fire on the gang members swarming toward him.

His rounds punched through the walls but they were getting smart and hiding better, trying to find a way to kill him without dying. It wasn’t a matter of if but when.

He fired on the roofs where exposed Faceless Ones moved on them.

Dominguez and Phillips kept on running, neither of them talking as they felt self-hatred for leaving Reese behind. They got to the other side of the district and climbed storage containers and fell down the other side.

They looked to each other. Not saying anything, they continued running.

Then Reese’s signal died and his vitals flatlined as they heard an explosion behind them.

Reese was dead.

***

Voras kicked one of the troopers on the ground. They’d been peppered with shrapnel wounds and they lay slumped over their repulsor, right next to another big brute who looked to have caught a few rounds in the back.

Voras had no more time to take out his anger on the corpse as he rushed forward with the rest of the group.

There was still weapons fire as the people up at the front caught sight of Dominguez and the last remaining member of her protection detail, or they shot at anything that moved.

They were all starting to feel some dread. They’d been chasing them for nearly an hour now and they had wanted to kill them off in just a few minutes.

The red dust was getting lighter, which meant that the storm would stop in an hour or so.

They didn’t have much longer.

Voras rushed forward and his people moved with him. They had to climb up different industrial buildings or run through the crude homes that had been thrown together.

They were reaching the dividing line between two neighborhoods, a dried-out riverbed that had been turned into a trading market. The area was large but it was mostly flat and hard to escape.

He heard weapons fire. It seemed that someone had found them this time. He rushed over. The sooner this damn woman was dead, the better!

***

Dominguez went down with a hiss. She’d been hit in the leg and the back. Her armor had stopped the round on her back from penetrating but it instead shot shards into her back.

Her leg basically collapsed under the other shot; the round had gone through her bone.

She slammed through a market stall. The materials of the stall went everywhere as Dominguez grunted.

As she hit the ground, she fired with her rifle, taking out the lead three nearest her, but also the tracers of her rifle gave away her position. She shuffled and dragged herself forward on her good limbs.

Phillips careened around the side of the building.

“Roll!” Dominguez said, going straight.

Phillips grunted and rolled into her. The impact made Dominguez let out a howl, but he had her over his shoulder as he stumbled forward a few steps and then pushed forward into a jog.

Dominguez gnashed her teeth. Pain tells you’re alive. Come on—yeah, fucking live it!

She used the pain as a way to focus as she aimed her grenade launcher, popping it off in the direction of a few Faceless and Jackals gaining access to the market area.

They were thrown backward by the explosion. Dominguez felt her speed pick up as Phillips ran down one bank of the dried-up river, doing his best to try to stay on his feet.

Dominguez continued to fire backward, without any real aim, but it kept the bastards’ heads down.

“Shit!” Phillips lost his footing. He stumbled forward and tried to push for a building that might offer some cover.

They landed heavily. Dominguez was one tough woman but even she let out a scream as her mangled leg was turned around, grinding the bones against one another.

Phillips didn’t have the time to pick her up again. He grabbed her by her carry handle and dragged her backward into the market. The both of them fired at the gang members who started to appear on the banks.

With them being on the banks, looking down, it was like shooting at fish in a barrel.

Dominguez and Phillips were doing everything possible to make the others think about shooting, but there was two of them and nearly three hundred of the enemy.

They finally made it into the coverings but rounds came down all around them as the enemy couldn’t see them.

Just as the market was getting ripped apart, new, heavier weapons started to fire up. But they weren’t from the bank side that Dominguez had come from. Instead, it was from the opposite bank.

“Move up there, right flank! Concentrate your fire, weapons det!” Dominguez’s communications switched, putting her on the same net as the Defender Armor-wearing Westerly Three Complex members who had been sent out to save their asses.

Phillips kept on hauling Dominguez backward as heavy weaponry fired overhead. The three gangs had no choice but to fire back at the Defender Armor-wearing members of the Westerly Three Crew who were moving forward in sections.

Dozens of the other three gangs were cut down with the heavy weaponry. The light of tracers and the cracking whizz of the rounds lit up the dust storm that turned the skies into chaos.

The three gangs moved back to the buildings. The gang leaders weren’t able to push them forward. After all, they were humans: they had joined the gangs for protection and to scrape out a better living. They couldn’t get that if they were dead.

Three sections moved under the support of the fourth section that only had the new repulsors.

Their advance was coordinated and it seemed that there were no openings in their weapons fire, fully suppressing the three gangs that had nearly six times their number.

***

Voras watched as his front lines crumbled. Those leading forces pulled back from the riverbank and moved into the different buildings as rounds cut across the river, riddling holes in the buildings on the other side and cutting down those who weren’t fast enough at retreating.

“Who the hell are they?” Voras asked. The storm was starting to lift and he could see the new combatants entering the battlefield. They wore powered armor but it wasn’t like anything he’d seen before. It bore similar resemblances to the armor that the legionnaires wore.

The group moved with coordination and didn’t seem to fear anything as they moved from cover to cover, firing and suppressing the other three gangs completely.

The leader of the Pistol Monkeys had been with the lead group; now he was nothing but a corpse.

Voras kept an eye out for the other Pistol Monkeys who were fighting but still looking around wildly.

They had expected to just cut down one woman and then it would be all over. Now their gang had been used as cannon fodder again and again; there was just a third of their number left and even their leader was dead.

Voras turned to where the Faceless Ones leader was. People were all around him, acting as body shields. He was about to say something when one of the Faceless Ones human shields stumbled to the side with a surprised noise, a hole in their armor.

In a split second, another round followed after, hitting the Faceless One. More rounds followed as the Faceless One ducked to the side, a hole in the side of their chest.

Voras could see the innards of the person. They definitely weren’t some kind of god. The other Faceless Ones tried to protect their leader and started to recall their people.

“Get your asses back out there!” Voras grabbed one of those Faceless Ones near him and yelled at him.

“The holy one is wounded!” the person said in a panic.

“What does that matter?” Voras yelled.

“If he dies, we all die!” the Faceless One said, their fear clear.

Voras felt his scalp go cold.

The Faceless One slumped down. Then, a few seconds later, the other Faceless Ones started to collapse, following their leader into the afterlife.

The helmet of the one Voras was holding exploded.

Voras threw them away, wiping the blood off his face screen.

“Use the screamers!” Voras yelled. Fear welled up in his stomach. If he didn’t carry out his orders, then a fate worse than death would be waiting for him.

If the Westerly Three Crew or the Luyten Conglomerate got a hold of him, there would be nothing to do.

He had to push his people to fight with all they had and hopefully get Dominguez.

People grabbed the screamers they had left. They hadn’t been given much and Voras was wishing that they had ten times as many right now.

Some were cut down before they could fire the missile while others shot off, landing among the stores in the riverbed near where Dominguez and her helper had disappeared into.

The stalls were blown out, throwing up the different items that were kept in the stalls. More and more of the missiles fired.

“Grab the dropped ones and fire them!” Voras yelled as he threw himself to the side. A repulsor ripped through a nearby wall, killing another Pistol Monkey.

Voras tried to get up as a screamer from the other side hit a building near him, throwing him to the side and making his ears ring. He fought to remain conscious, his vision going from black to normal over and over again.

He closed his eyes and took some deep breaths, trying to get himself back together.

He looked to where the explosion had happened. The wall was gone and bodies were buried under the rubble. Tracers disappeared into a group of Jackals and Pistol Monkeys. The ground around them was torn up under the weapons fire as they fell to the ground, lifeless.

He saw as Brass Jackals and Pistol Monkeys fired offhandedly, not even trying to aim as they ran away from the battle, their morale broken by this new, unrelenting force that was completely suppressing them.

The battle had been lost: the three gangs had fallen apart and re-routed.

Voras barely climbed to his feet when someone hit him, sending him staggering over to the side as if he were drunk.

There was no way to win. He just had to hope that they got Dominguez with those screamers.

He pulled himself together and started to run to the rear when searing hot pain tore through his lower body and the strength of his legs went out from under him.

He heard the rounds and felt his body being torn apart before a round made it through his helmet.

Like that, Voras Jakab of the Brass Jackals died.

***

The screamers had been too close for comfort. The explosions had caught Dominguez and Phillips off guard. Dominguez could only cover her face and try to push with her one good leg faster until Phillips fell down, gurgling.

Dominguez covered him with her body as shrapnel from a food stall peppered her side. She grunted but it was just a flesh wound.

Phillips had caught chunks of metal speeding through the air and right into his side, piercing his lung. Right now, blood was flowing into his lungs, making it hard for him to breathe.

Dominguez turned her body, using it as leverage, and tilted Phillips’s wounds down toward the ground so that the blood would drain out instead of entering his body.

She checked for any other damage and found that the artery in his leg had also been nicked.

With practiced hands, she dragged out his med-kit, and injected a few different needles around the area, with a final spray being applied directly on the leg armor and cloth to seal the wound.

He stopped losing blood so fast as Dominguez found his injection port and hooked up an IV bag.

The needle punched through Phillips’s skin and into his veins, the concoction in the IV entering his body.

Someone crashed into a building nearby. Dominguez grabbed her rifle and twisted her body around to face where the noise came from.

“General?” a man’s voice asked through the close communication channel.

“Thunder,” Dominguez said.

“Struck,” the man replied.

“Get a move on! I’ve got one severely wounded—punctured lung and arterial bleed. We need to get him moving as soon as possible.” Dominguez lowered her rifle a fraction as three people wearing Defender Armor appeared. Only then did she lower her rifle completely.

One went to work on Phillips right away, sending a message back to the higher-ups while the other checked over Dominguez and the third watched the area, ready to shoot on anything that wasn’t friendly.

The troopers advanced through the riverbank, a section peeling off to help Phillips and Dominguez. They quickly grabbed them and pulled them back toward where the transport waited. The rest of the sections advanced, chasing down the other three gangs and then moving to reinforce the Greenhouse Emasia.

Chapter Six

Senator Rimateus’s Residence

Roma, Hellenic System

5/3556

“We have reports from different sources around the Westerly Three Crew that Dominguez is dead. This has not been confirmed visually but it looks like the Westerly Three Crew is rattled by what is going on,” one of the representatives of the Luyten Conglomerate said, his voice filled with respect toward Rimateus as he reported to him.

Rimateus smiled. This would tie Tertius to him closer now that he had already showed his willingness to work with the other.

“Good. You’ve done well. The shipments will be with you shortly. How is the recruiting going?” Rimateus asked.

“We have been telling the people on Luyten that we are making a military presence to fight off those who wish to carry out a terrorist attack on the system. Saying that they are a part of the Harmony Chosen who are hiding in a nearby system.

“They’ve believed us and we’re working to build up their trust in us,” the conglomerate leader said, his face impassive.

Lives weren’t much to the conglomerates or to the Roma Union. It was easy enough to manipulate them and turn people into their minions with the right propaganda and people seeded in the correct places. Then, even if they found out the truth, it might be possible that they would disagree with it, but their faith in these leaders was so great that it defied any information or truth that they were presented.

It had happened with religions and regimes in the past—people blindly believing in promises and what people said instead of making decisions for themselves.

They might not be well trained, but Luyten was one of the first systems to be colonized. Instead of being completely owned by a conglomerate, there were, in fact, other businesses that had appeared in the system, allowing it to be self-sufficient and one of the greatest exporters to Sol system.

It had been around for billions of years and although the conglomerate ruling the system felt stifled as they didn’t have the same kind of control over the people living in their system, with this plan they would gain great economic power by having the only Alcubierre-capable ships from Earth and Her Colonies other than the Victor Corporation. This position could benefit the conglomerate greatly and their power might not be centered on the Luyten system anymore but rather in trading between systems.

“Numbers-wise, we have some three million people who have joined up and are willing to crew the ships needed to hit the Emarl system,” the conglomerate representative said.

“Very well,” Rimateus said.

The conglomerate representative seemed hesitant for a moment. “We were wondering if there is any more information from the Emarl system?”

Rimateus frowned. His information was vast and he could get information from nearly any planet or system under the Roma Union’s control. Even Earth and Her Colonies was largely open to him if he was willing to endorse a few of the corporations.

The only place that he wasn’t able to gain any information from was the Emarl system.

All information links to the system had been cut off abruptly after the Yard had arrived. It seemed that any and all intelligence networks that had started to be laid down there were removed.

Rimateus had even brought this up with the other senators. A new planet was a good way to gain more power and most of them would try to start creating an intelligence network so they could figure out who to back and people to watch out for to increase their own strength in the system if it did well.

With them not becoming part of the Roma Union, they had debts to pay off, but they had already made agreements with the banks of the Union faster and in quiet.

The senate didn’t even know what was going on when their avenues to enter and know more about the goings-on of the system was cut off.

Rimateus was working on the angle for getting the banks to do an audit of the system to make sure that they were able to pay back what they owed. It was taking time to go through all of the legal loopholes, but it seemed that there were few left to use.

It looked as though they would only get concrete information when they entered the system.

“The system is underdeveloped, with a population of twelve million that have a technology base from the medieval time period. They only have a few thousand sets of outdated powered armor and weapon systems that were sold to them.

“They might have the Yard, but it has moved across who knows how many systems. It doesn’t have much capability to mine and most of the workers were at Indalia, which means that they will only get back months before you arrive, according to the plan.

“Their military force is made out of some ten mergers and then four hundred, maybe six hundred thousand fighters who are either troopers in barely passable powered armor or savages in outdated power armor.

“They have one vessel that is capable of space combat and it’s an outdated carrier that was left as a tribute floating in the Hellenic system for the past couple hundred years,” Rimateus finished off.

He hadn’t answered the man’s question but it was clear that he wouldn’t be answering it anytime soon and that he should be capable enough to deal with these small factors.

“We understand and we will crush them easily under these conditions,” the man said.

Rimateus’s appraisal of the man mentally rose. He sounded as if he agreed, but actually raised the condition that if things were different than predicted, then it wouldn’t be the Luyten Conglomerate’s fault if they failed.

Rimateus nodded. “I hope to get regular updates on the condition of the fleet and the upgrades.”

“We will update you as soon as we can,” the man promised.

Chapter Seven

VCF Osdal

In Transit to Emarl System

5/3556

Chen was looking over the different applications by people to become mergers. Most of the crew wanted to become mergers until they learned what restrictions came with it.

Then they’d rapidly fallen away. Still, there was a good number of people who were interested in becoming mergers and so it had been up to the mergers to review them, their background and see whether they could hack it.

Only then would they give them the option to become a merger.

The fact of the matter was that since they had come out with these new rules, nearly two hundred mergers had joined other than those going through selection by the Vanguard.

These other mergers worked in the various different sectors that had been started up.

With each merger, it was as if the ship gained a new fabber. They only needed a nanite vat, which took only a few hours to create. Then they could push out part after part at a faster rate than the fabbers.

They could also make specialized items that were needed for the Moby’s upgrade. The VCF Osdal was nearing the end of their journey, so they were even making parts for the different projects that were going on in the Emarl system.

Their resources had started to run low so the older generation weapons, armor, and combat shuttles were starting to be broken down and turned into raw materials for the new systems.

The whole ship had turned into a massive training facility and factory.

Chen viewed the latest request and denied it after some time. The person meant well, but they had a mean streak in them. If they were given power and later on that mean streak came out, then they could act against others without them even knowing.

He pulled up the next file. He didn’t immediately integrate the information with his memories as he looked over Taelyon’s information.

She wasn’t the only member of the command staff who wanted to become a merger. Carla as well as Rasalov had both made the jump and put in their names to become mergers.

Carla had been okayed and she had set out a date for when she would be turned into a merger. Chen hadn’t reviewed the files for the others and he didn’t know whether they would be okayed or not.

The mergers didn’t know whether the others had okayed a person or not until the results were given out.

“Emergency meeting,” Admiral Hall said, opening a channel with the various leaders on the freighter.

Chen linked into the VCF Osdal’s computer system and added himself to the meeting room as people started to appear in the projected meeting room.

Charles, Maxine, Ava, Mark, and Zoi appeared quickly. After them came Jerome, Ortiz, Hall, and a distorted space appeared where the intelligence officer, a man everyone called M, sat. A few moments later, Yu appeared; right now, he was running simulations and training with people who wished to become merging-capable pilots.

“About an hour ago, Dominguez was attacked by three gangs on Earth. They ambushed her at a greenhouse. She was able to retreat from the position and although she is heavily wounded, she is alive and well. For now, we are playing off the fact that she is dead to remove some of the eyes looking on the Westerly Three Complex Crew. Defender Armor was used by the reinforcements to make sure we could safely extract Dominguez and reinforce the greenhouse.” M’s voice was distorted so it was impossible to say whether it was a man or a woman.

The troopers who had served together looked as if they wanted to murder someone as they looked to one another.

“Who was it ordered by?” Mark asked between gritted teeth.

“At this time, I think that the Luyten Conglomerate ordered the attack, but they were given their orders by Senator Rimateus.” M paused for a moment. “It looks like he got close to Tertius Hesra in the recent few days. His son, Admiral Hesra who you guys met in the Otarvi system, lost his vote of confidence, and will have to go to the Hellenic system in order to meet with a review board. It doesn’t look like he will recover his position after this.”

“Mother fucker,” Jerome growled.

“Don’t worry—we might not get them now but there will come a time,” Mark said.

If anyone else said these words about killing a senator of the Roma Union, Chen might think that they had lost their mind.

“What assets do we have in the area other than those based on the ground or underground building?” Ortiz asked.

“We don’t have anything other than a few freighters that are undercover still.” Admiral Hall was the overall commander of all ships, not only the freighters and the warships that were being made in the Emarl system.

“We can’t leave them there. They’re a weakness that they can prod as they want.” Ortiz looked to the others and to Admiral Hall.

“Well, VCF Hope entered the Masoul system four months ago and departed for Sol two months ago; it should arrive in three more months. VCF Promise is just arriving in-system in a few days. VCF Novum would be our next fastest; if it turns now and starts heading for Sol system, it could get there in four months. That should provide enough lift capacity to pull out our forces and auxiliary personnel back to the Emarl system,” Hall said.

“This might be an opportunity to try to entice people from the greenhouses and other personnel who are able to work with or develop higher technology,” Zoi said.

The others looked to him. It seemed that they weren’t as pleased with him bringing it up when people were in danger.

“He makes a fair point. If we were to take a step backward…” M said.

The others seemed to pull themselves back before Jerome spoke up.

“It would be the best idea. We can pull people we need to Emarl and we can also bring all of our people together instead of having everyone spread out,” Jerome said.

The forces that they were moving around wasn’t an insignificant number when thinking of all of those EMFCs they had reached out to. They boarded all of the ships that they talked to and all of them had agreed to join the Emarl system or at least check it out.

“It also looks like Rimateus is planning something big with Luyten and Tertius. Tertius’s ships are moving to the Luyten system, which is recruiting people for the military, and all of them are carrying Alcubierre drives. I don’t think that they are just intending to trade with those kinds of preparations. The Luytens are also spreading the rumor that there are more of the Harmony out there and that they need to hunt them down,” M said.

“So, we can expect them to attack us in the coming months,” Mark surmised.

“I believe so.” M drew out the words, pausing. “I also think that this would be a good opportunity for Cassius and Damus to regain control over the Roma Union.”

“What do you mean?” Chen asked. The others might still have lingering anger but their friend was okay and they needed to look to the future.

“Cassius and Damus have started taking steps to remove the political powers that lay within the legions. They’re starting on a small scale right now, but if they do it right then they can turn the political factions against one another in the legion so that they are focused on screwing one another over while not thinking of the legions that they aren’t connected with. If they were to use this incident with Rimateus—or someone—looking to attack us, then it would be possible to draw out all of the poisonous snakes in the Union, or at least a good number of them. Then, with the mergers, we’ll be able to drag out all of the problems, give them to Cassius and Damus and they can remove them from power. This would give us an ally with forces completely under their control and we’d be strongly connected to the top of the Union.”

Chen was a bit shocked, first that Moretti was able to get that kind of information, and the second hearing his plans. They were ambitious as hell. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was certainly possible.

“We use Emarl to attract all of their attention, get them to attack us there and allow Damus and Cassius to clean up the rats,” Mark said.

“That’s the gist of it. We can’t leave them to do as they want anymore.”

“Well, I agree. If they’re going to attack us anyways, we might as well gain a stable ally,” Hall said.

The others all agreed as well; it made sense. It would be on M’s shoulders to see it was all carried out. Otherwise they had to just hold the Emarl system.

With no information coming out of Emarl, they won’t know the kinds of things we’ll have in store for them if they come right at us. I wonder if they will be able to manage clearing out all of the political parties that have overstepped their boundaries and deal with the increased attacks by the Maraukians.

Chen might not be someone from the legion anymore, but it didn’t mean that he had simply cut them off from himself. He had grown up there and his family and friends still called it home. He couldn’t turn his back on it completely.

***

“You okay?” Ava asked Mark after the meeting ended. The two of them had been sleeping in their quarters when the emergency meeting started.

Mark was about to say he was fine when Ava pinched his arm. There was no sense in lying to try to make her feel better.

“No, I’m not. Anyone who attacks my little sister better be ready for me to hunt them down no matter what,” Mark said.

While they were in the meeting, he had gone through the network to gather as much information from everyone involved in the attacks.

He also knew that the Westerly Three Crew were now readying their forces to go hunting after what remained of the Pistol Monkeys and the Brass Jackals.

They had killed people from the Westerly Three Crew—they best be ready to stop existing on Earth.

Still, the fact that he wasn’t there right now with them grated on his nerves.

“You can’t be there all the time to look after everyone,” Ava said.

Mark wanted to argue with her, but he knew that it wouldn’t make sense. He damn well wished that he could be everywhere that he was needed. It felt as if all of the fighting was happening and there was nothing in his power that he could do to change the outcome.

Ava kissed Mark, making his anger die down a bit.

He could feel her love and care for him, and he could also sense that she, too, wouldn’t let this go. She might have never met Dominguez in person or the people who had died, but they were people who were part of the troopers and they were also people Mark trusted and cared for.

Ava curled up in his arm and held him tight. He looked to her and pushed the hair out of her face. He had been lucky to find Ava, so lucky he was scared of what might happen.

He also knew that if he tried to push her away again or change her orders to see that she was safe, she’d kick his ass all the way from Emarl to the Sol system.

It was a bitter pill to swallow but it was the kind of relationship that he had never expected to have in his life.

“I’ve got training shift this morning,” Ava said.

Mark was about to speak. It was his shift to be watching over the new batch of candidates.

“You need to get this out of your system out a bit. The candidates need to be sifted through, not have their heads chopped off ’cause your head isn’t in the right spot.” Ava slid out of the sheets as clothes started to wrap around her body.

Mark was distracted by her movements but he nodded. “All right.” Truly they shared each other’s burdens, which had brought them closer together.

“Figure out how to pay these bastards back.” Ava’s eyes caught Mark’s and he felt the anger behind her eyes.

“I will,” he promised.

“That’s my man.” Ava nodded and headed for the door.

Mark got up from the bed. He only needed a few hours a week of rest. He couldn’t sleep even if he wanted to at this point.

He looked up the projects that were being worked on with the nanite vats and picked up a few jobs. He needed to do something, and creating different parts was something he could sink his mind into for a few days to try to contain his anger.

***

While Mark was working with making more items, Jerome dove into the work that surrounded the Emarl system. Esamai hadn’t attended the meeting as she was sleeping and Jerome could work while she was getting her sleep.

She was under a tremendous amount of pressure being the manager of all the Victor Corporation assets in the Emarl system.

Other companies were starting to rise up, but they couldn’t do all that much yet. They didn’t want the Victor Corporation to be the only power in the system; there was the council of Tricticus but the Victor Corporation’s power was only increasing with time.

Esamai was under all of this pressure; it was incredibly hard to deal with.

With Jerome’s decision, he had started to take on a greater number of responsibilities in managing the assets in the Emarl system, lightening the load on Esamai while also speeding up the rate at which the Victor Corporation grew.

The first warships were being built. Well, they were technically supply ships, but they would be sent out to the mining locations around the system to smelt various materials and send them back to the Yard or the station. The station would also have one of the supply ships there so that it could increase the speed that it developed. As Tricticus’s connection to space, it was a key link that they needed to develop.

Jerome had also been given access to the largest secret in the Emarl system: the Ark. Esamai hadn’t been told why the planet that the Yard was orbiting was called the Ark, nor the significance of what was inside it.

This wasn’t because Mark didn’t trust her; it was because she had enough on her plate and Mark didn’t want to pass around this information before it was needed. The Ark was a fully automated facility.

Mark had sent off a fabber and robots loaded with preset commands and a communication node. They had landed on the planet and headed deep.

Under the crust of the planet’s surface, a work area was carved out. The fabber worked to make more fabbers; they were assembled by robots, and so on it went, with more and more fabbers being created.

A large area was carved out, creating different areas in the planet. The materials were fed into the fabbers while lightning rods and other energy-capturing devices were created.

With the information from the mergers that Mark sent to the Ark, the Ark quickly started to upgrade itself.

Now it was a massive factory complex that was capable of creating anything it was ordered to. It had been focusing the last couple of months with making warships.

They took the most time and resources to create. With their modular design, they were easy for the robots within the Ark to put together.

While there were seven supply ships being finished off, as well as the large freighters in the Yard, there were two battleships, three carriers, one supply ship, and two troop transports. The Ark was built primarily for the mergers though Gorgon tanks, drop-ships, and all items that would be needed to arm the military forces in Emarl were manufactured here. The biggest thing it had created were the anti-matter generators. Two of them were operational and another three were planned to be built.

Anti-matter was a hard substance to not only make but to contain in large quantities. There were several dozen of the generators across the Roma Union and they barely kept up with the demand of the legion. There wasn’t much that could be used for other experiments.

The mergers who ran off anti-matter and the other systems that they had designed over anti-matter would be useless without the necessary fuel.

Without it, then their suits would only be able to last a couple of hours before needing a charge, making them basically unable to fight for extended periods of time.

If they lost this facility, they wouldn’t have mergers capable of using armor anymore.

Jerome had also been privy to a number of other plans that the mergers had come up with but hadn’t released to anyone but the development team who worked on the Yard secretly.

There was so many moving pieces but Jerome threw himself into it.

It was a way to help Esamai, and also the more he did now, then they would be able to deal with and help the EMF personnel who were entering the system.

It wouldn’t be long now until the first EMFC made it to Emarl.

Jerome looked up, seeing a picture of Esamai and little Tyler.

“Not long now.” He smiled to himself. It had been a long few months not seeing either of them.

***

Yu looked over the combat information from the different candidates.

Most of them had been combat shuttle pilots previously. Now they had turned their aim toward being rapid support drones.

They were meant to run remotely from the ship. This meant that even in close-range engagements, if they were destroyed then a pilot could just launch another and continue the attack.

Before, with the ranges involved, there had been a large problem with how far away the pilots could be from the drones. This was why the Ares fighters were all manned.

If the area was coated in relay satellites, it would take longer for the Maraukians to take them out. Although they were terrible at aiming, the automated systems of their ships weren’t too bad and could clear the orbitals of a planet of anything that remained there. Even when they were on the ground, they were able to take out stations in orbit and would fire on ships that were inside their fire envelope.

That was why they had created the new seeder ships. These small craft were also unmanned but they served to create a relay between the support drones. They would stay out of the Maraukians’ range and act as a bridge between the pilots and their ships.

In combat against human forces, they would be flying in roving packs, dispersing relay satellites all over the place with decoys so that the RSDs wouldn’t lose connection and could fight no matter what.

They were the strength and also the weakness of the ships; if they didn’t have the seeder ships, then the communications relays on the carriers had to take up the slack, they were the strongest communication systems created with state of the art encryption, but at long distances there was a time lag between the actions of the fighters and the signal reaching them. This was one of the reasons that the mergers were good with them. They could predict what would happen and give commands before they actually happened, little more than an educated shot in the dark.

A number of people had applied to be mergers, but right now Yu still needed to figure out the new tactics that came with the RSDs and their accompanying seeders.

Still, he had his eye on a number of them. That said, he didn’t know whether they would pass through testing.

Although people could become mergers for the other sectors as long as it was agreed by all of the mergers, when becoming someone of the military sector, they needed to pass through selection. Then, once they did that, they could be considered to become a merger.

Other mergers could apply, but then they would also need to go through the same hell as the candidates.

There was no easy ride into the military sector.

“Nothing is ever easy,” Yu said to himself as Young looked to him.

“You muttering again?” Young asked.

“Even if I was talking subsonic, you’d be able to hear me,” Yu said. The two of them were reviewing information on the fighters and how to use them while Bobbie was with the engineering people, walking through the development of the drop-ships as well as upgrades for the RSDs and the seeders.

He was working with a number of other crews from different vessels. With their hands-on and theoretical knowledge, it was guaranteed that whatever they came up with would not be simple.

Yu was excited to see what it would be and wanted to be part of its development, but he was needed to do this.

“Hopefully it won’t be too long until we can figure this all out,” Yu said.

“We’re learning quickly with all of the information from the legion as well as the historical references to other forces that used fighters when fighting. We’ve got the theoretical side down,” Young said.

“Everything is theoretical until we run into the enemy,” Yu said, using one of his favorite sayings.

“That’s true,” Young said. They’d been through too many battles to rely on that their best-laid plans would actually be carried out perfectly.

“At least when we’re in the Emarl system, we’ll be able to do live exercises and see what they’re really capable of. We can test the RSDs and the trainees to the limit,” Yu said with some excitement.

“You just want to get an RSD and bomb around the system,” Young said with a dry voice.

Yu looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. “And you don’t?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be right with you going out without a backup.” Young said, continuing her prep without pause.

The two of them shared a look. Yu gave her a stiff nod and Young responded in kind. He still couldn’t force himself to smile, the events too close to home. The information on how close Dominguez was to not making it out and the losses on Earth still weighed on their minds.

Chapter Eight

Hospital

Westerly Three Complex

Earth, Sol System

5/3556

Dominguez woke with a start, the nightmare of the attack on her and her people still fresh on her mind. She moved in the bed, pushing the covers aside and attempting to get out. Then she remembered the pain and allowed herself to breathe through it. No matter the drugs or the regrowth of her leg, this one stung more than any other injury she’d had. It was not just an injury; it was personal. All those people? They’d done nothing. They were innocent workers, with families. It was wrong on more levels than she wanted to accept at the moment.

The communication link came through moments after she’d woken this time, and she finally pushed off to answer it properly. “Mark,” she said.

“Hey,” came his voice. “Sorry it took me so long. How you doing?”

“Oh, you know.” She tried to suck in her emotions, to push away everything that she was really feeling, but she couldn’t. She just hoped it didn’t come across like that to him.

But it was as if Mark couldn’t speak to her; there were no words as to what he wanted to convey.

“We’ll make the bastards pay,” Mark said.

With his words, her feelings exploded; she’d teared up. She knew he was right. They needed to stick around, to fight for what they had, but it looked as if this fight was only going to get harder. But, she admitted, “We’ve a lot, yes, to still build, to move, you know that.”

“VCF Hope and Novum are en route to your location. They should arrive in no more than four months. I need you up and good to go by then. I leave who will be aboard those ships up to you. It is the thoughts of us here, that we evac everything useful from the Sol system to Emarl system. There’s no use leaving it there to be bogged down when we can use it there.”

“Got it.” Dominguez pushed her mind to work, and get past her recent losses. The pain was still there, but now she had a goal to move toward. “What about the people from the greenhouses?”

“It’s up to you. If you want them, then you need to vet them. Once they enter Emarl, we don’t need a leak.”

“Understood,” Dominguez said. It was a massive undertaking even in four months, but she was confident in her people. No matter what, they would get it done.

“Someone has to stay though, right?” she protested.

The answer surprised her, almost as much as his sigh. “That planet means nothing to me. If you all leave, someone else will take over—someone else can do the work.”

“You don’t mean that, right?” But she actually felt he did mean it.

Mark’s voice was lower now, barely a whisper to her across the galaxies. It made her choke up. “Pack all the shit you can and get out,” he finally admitted. “She can fend for herself.”

Dominguez swallowed. “Yes, sir.” It wasn’t as much an order as he just wanted her there. She felt the same. They were all too far apart. The Yard had gone; most of the people she had worked with split into different parts of the universe. It would all come together, but it worried her.

Mark cut the comms and left her, still thinking. The closest of their ships would still be months away, she was sure of it. But if it cut their timing in half, and she could leave this godforsaken place earlier, she would be happy. Heck, with most of the gangs out there thinking she was dead, she was sure the place was in an uproar.

Her door pinged, and she shouted, albeit weakly. “Come in.”

On seeing Phillips hobble on in, she smiled. “You just about look like I feel.”

“Yeah.” He sat on the end of her bed. “How you feeling, better than me?”

Dominguez let out a small chuckle.

Phillips stole her gaze and she saw something else in his eyes. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For saving my ass, of course.”

Dominguez looked away, those last few memories flittering through her mind once more. The pain, the sheer agony of it. “Almost lost you,” she said.

“We almost lost each other, and it’s supposed to be my job to protect you, not the other way around. You know.”

She remembered him running with her over his shoulder, their joint sets of wounds, fleeing for their lives.

It seemed he was caught in those memories too; then it was almost as if he wanted to say something else but didn’t.

Something about the way he looked at her. Oh crap, she’d had no idea. “I—”

“It’s okay. Don’t say anything. This is my issue, not yours.”

She hadn’t thought of anyone like that for a long time, not since... But things were moving faster and faster than anyone had envisaged. There was no time to think like that, was there?

The moment she’d laid herself over Phillips’s shrapnel-laden body as he bled all over the floor—the thoughts that flashed before her. Yes, there was. There had to be time for that, or what the hell were they fighting for in the first place? She reached out, took his hand in hers and squeezed. “We’ll talk—heck, we’ve a lot of talking to do. I just got bumped off the face of the planet, right?”

Phillips glanced back to her. “That we did. How’s it feel to be dead?”

Dominguez sank back into the bed covers, allowed herself to feel the pain through all the drugs coursing through her veins. “Feels like fucking hell.”

***

No sooner had Mark closed his comms with Dominguez than he searched out and located where Admiral Hall was through the net. Heading that way, he thought to the last couple of months and to the actions they’d all taken toward their main goal. A lot of his ships and freighters had been moving people about inter-systems. They were valued clients, who were now expecting to wait for things while he sorted all his shit out, and that meant moving everyone to Emarl.

“What’s wrong?” Admiral Hall asked as he was let in.

Mark stepped inside and moved to sit, his nanites making sure the chair would hold. “Hope and Novum, they need modifications—can you get them on it? They need capacity to take as many as possible from Earth—cryo, if it has to be.”

Bringing up the statistics for both ships, Hall and Mark looked them over.

“When they get to Earth, everything that isn’t needed can be left,” Mark said. “I’m more concerned in getting them out. This last attack…” Mark clenched his fists and stared at Hall.

“I know—I’d want them out too. I will confirm with the captains and take it from there.” Hall pointed to several sections of their cargo holds. “There’s some useful equipment already on both. I think they’ll be able to come up with something.”

Mark nodded. “Good. Talk with Charles, see if he’s also got some other ideas. If you have any difficulties with details, etc., talk to Moretti. They’re his people on there.”

“Are they in cryo?” Hall raised an eyebrow. “Could mean there’s some smart-assed people on board, not to mention doctors, engineers, and possibly more. They’re an asset in themselves, let alone picking up the Westerly Three Crew.”

“I don’t know.” Mark pushed to stand. “In that case, let’s see about waking some of them up. I know we have the best minds on here, but there’s no harm in them talking and seeing how else these ships might be upgraded. In fact, the more people on that, the better. Means we can all get to where we want to be a hell of a lot faster.”

With that, Mark moved to leave. “I’ll be seeing Charles next. If you need me, comm.”

Admiral Hall nodded and started to dial in for the captain on the VCF Hope.

Chapter Nine

Refinery Seventy-Seven

Oort Cloud, Osdal System

5/3556

Johnny had been pacing up and down the length of his station’s command center. There were some things that he really wanted answers to and right now, but he struggled with putting all the questions into coherent order.

The Fernix was here and it seemed they were very interested in the Avenger. He was more than sure this wasn’t a good thing. But he wanted to be sure before he lost his shit and started with accusations. Them having Alcubierre drives really threw some spanners in the works. More so if they contacted Avenger and then had a full carrier load of troopers to back them up. Seemed trade might go out the window if they decided to attack instead of paying for goods.

The committee meeting he was about to face might be make-or-break for them.

The first thing he had to do was make sure they were all on the right side. The Fernix should have been picking up deliveries that weren’t even in the company’s thought processes or schedules. So now what would they want? Would they wait for their order to be filled? It didn’t seem likely, so the only real thing he could do was wait for comms to open up and then physically ask what the hell was going on.

The longer he waited, though, the more agitated he seemed to get. What was the freighter doing? Surely he came top of their priority list?

It seemed not.

Johnny commed for Felicia.

“Wasn’t expecting to see your face this time of night,” the old battle-axe said to him with a not-so-cheery grin.

“There’s a situation developing. I thought you’d like to know. Maybe next time I’ll actually ignore it and just go to bed like you obviously did.”

The laugh that carried her gruff voice to him seemed full of her usual spunk. No matter how long they’d been work rivals for, their friendship was managed well. “So, spit it out. What’s the situation?”

Johnny could hear her, but wasn’t sure what the hell she was doing till her face appeared, still sleep-ridden and with bed-tousled graying hairs.

“The VCF Fernix just popped onto my radar.”

Felicia eye rolled at him. “This is no time for games, Johnny. It’s not due here for what, twenty years or so?”

“Exactly my point. It looks from the rings around it, that the Fernix has Alcubierre drives. Yet no one thought they’d tell us of its fast arrival.”

She seemed to be pulling up information on her end, and then she nodded at him. “It seems so. What’s your plan of action?”

“I’m trying to get comms through at the moment, but they’re not answering. They are, however, heading for the Avenger.”

“Crap. After the troopers?”

“At the moment, it seems so, yes.”

“Better wake the rest of the committee then,” she grumbled. “Not really what I want to be doing in the middle of the night, you know.”

Johnny laughed. “Sure, would you sooner they knocked at your door with weapons locked and loaded?”

“Of course not.” She paused. “You really think Mark Victor would do that? Dammit. Get Carly on the line.”

It was a few moments later that Carly came on. “I’ve seen the message,” she said. “There’s also a package that’s been delivered via the net.” With a push, she passed on the file to them both.

Johnny waited for the ping then he opened it.

It was a direct message from Mark Victor. “The VCF Fernix will be within your system now, her Alcubierre drives boosting her arrival. I apologize for not announcing it properly, but our plans would have been compromised if we had. Captain Grild will be waking the EMF Avenger, and then they’ll contact you. Please be patient at this time. Trust me, you do not want this to be rushed, or it could turn dangerous for everyone involved. We have the best interests of Osdal and the future foremost in our minds.”

“That’s easier for him to say when he’s not here,” Johnny stated.

“While they’re amassing a small army up there, they can’t expect us to sit and wait for them, can they?” Felicia said. “I know I’ve trusted Mark and his people a lot in the past, but this is taking liberties.”

“I agree.” Johnny pushed the message away. “I think we should at least be ready in some capacity if they do decide this is a forceful take out.”

Carly’s frown was evident. “You expect some sort of betrayal, after everything they went through here? I highly doubt that is possible.”

Felicia’s face changed, watching him carefully. “No matter what we think, we’ve our own people to defend. If it looked like we just sat here and waited for an attack, how would it make us look? No, put us at yellow alert. Get everyone ready, then we can back down if we need to. That wouldn’t be difficult.”

Johnny was quick to send orders off to his stations and surrounding men. Middle of the night or not, they’d be up and ready for anything within minutes. “Done. Now might I suggest we meet in person and decide what we’ll be saying to the VCF? I think their communication skills are sorely lacking and that our communication net might not be the securest of networks to keep talking on.”

The other two nodded and he quickly said, “First light then,” and the women cut communications with a nod.

This left a sour taste in his mouth, but this was the only thing they could do. Any unannounced appearance in their region of space could be seen as a threat, the fact they went straight for the Avenger even more so.

Johnny went back to pacing his office. Too many questions, and no one to answer them.

Once again he punched in the comms for the Fernix. This time he expected an answer, but there was still nothing.

Chapter Ten

VCF Fernix

Oort Cloud, Osdal System

5/3556

Aaron was alerted to the fact that Osdal was sending several messages, from different cities and stations, but he didn’t have all that much time to act. The EMF Avenger would be alerted to their proximity if he didn’t input the codes quickly, so his priority and that of his team was to concentrate on those. It wasn’t an easy job, bypassing the carrier’s systems. Not that it really mattered to him, but it would to those down on Osdal, who were probably now panicking like crazy that they’d showed up a few decades earlier than planned.

No matter how much he thought the Victor Corp had the respect of those here, it still worried him. They’d had many years to make sure that no one could take their system from them, especially after the Harmony War.

They would be grisly and ready for anything; he wasn’t stupid in taking that for granted.

Dev looked at him. “All codes have been accepted. We can take our time now and approach the Avenger as we’d planned.”

“Good,” Aaron replied. “Is the information package ready to send to Osdal?”

“Also ready, sir.”

“Send away. We need both parties on our side.”

Aaron waited for confirmation from Dev on the package being sent and received before he made his next move. Watching the Avenger on his screen, his thoughts turned to the men and women who fought here, who died here during the Harmony War. He’d seen the footage of Mark that was blasted for everyone to see, bouncing around the sun-stroked desert floor by several air-cars. With a cringe, he spoke clearly for Theo. “Take us in, close as you can. We’ll shuttle across as planned.”

“Maneuvering alongside the Avenger,” he replied as he tapped in codes.

Aaron pushed himself up. “Team One, meet me in the shuttle bay. We’re a go-to wake this badass crew up.”

He didn’t wait for the reply from his command sergeant. He quickly made his way off the bridge and toward the shuttle bay. Getting across to the Avenger would be easy now; securing their cargo while he woke up one of the senior officers might not be. There was always something a ship’s captain had up his sleeve. This one—he’d heard tales of being sneaky. Hence the guard to back him up.

Securing himself into the shuttle, Dev’s comms came through. “Osdal’s received the package. There is movement from their military bases, though, sir.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything else. Wait till we’re aboard the Avenger and then send the second package. I need them to understand a little more about this situation, but don’t want to frighten them off. They’ll want to know trade agreements are still on the cards, not a takeover.”

Aaron knew the next package they should see would be exactly the same video he would show the captain of the Avenger. The one Mark had made for all of them to witness. He had watched it himself and it had scared the living daylights out of him. These Maraukians were nothing more than creatures of doom. Without the mergers, any system without severe legion backing was dead. If they attacked Osdal now, they would not be ready. They’d lose the system. The Avenger would be more than likely wiped out as the Maraukian barges reached them. Then they’d hit the planet.

Aaron shuddered in his seat.

“The second package has been delivered. Do you want open comms now, sir?”

Aaron was quick to answer. “No, but if they do comm for us, tell them I’ll be with them as soon as possible. Then I’ll set up a meeting for us all.”

“Affirmative, Captain,” Dev replied.

And so, Aaron waited while his shuttle set off and then made its way over toward the Avenger. Its darkened hull gave off the barest amount of energy. No one awake; everyone asleep. Aaron’s skin crawled as they moved closer to the ghost ship.

Chapter Eleven

Malazar School

Tricticus, Emarl System

5/3556

Pela knocked on Doctor McKay’s office door. She’d gotten the message to stop by from Gondi a few hours ago. Of all days—exam results day, and the day they would all be told where their placements would be. Pela’s nerves were frayed, end to end. Everything happened today; she even had a scheduled call to her parents to go over her results. And yet this was the last thing she’d expected, to be called in here. It felt weird.

“Come,” the woman’s voice called through.

Pela opened the door and stepped into the spacious office.

“Please.” Doctor McKay waved her in.

Pela stepped on over toward where she’d been sitting at her desk.

Doctor McKay moved from behind the desk and pointed toward a square on the floor. “Step on,” she ordered.

Pela thought it was strange, but she waited while the doctor watched her for a few moments.

Then she indicated the chair before her desk. “Take a seat please, Pela.”

When she did, the woman sat before her and brought up an image. It was of her. “Do you see this?”

Pela looked at it, and could only nod. She’d no idea as to what was happening.

Then the image changed. “See the difference?”

Pela stared at the holo. She couldn’t see anything.

“Well, access your NIAI and let me know what you see then?” Doctor McKay prompted.

“Gondi,” Pela asked, “can you analyze the two images?”

“Of course. It is, after all, what I sent to the doctor this morning.”

Pela was confused. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been ignoring my prompts to get lunch and dinner on a regular basis. This is the result.” Gondi overlayed the two images and there it was: the second image fit inside the first.

Doctor McKay’s head nodded up and down. “You see it now—good. Your NIAIs are to keep a check on all our students’ health and to report any activities that put them at risk. You’ve been ignoring yours.”

“I...I just kept putting it off.”

She had noticed tying her slacks a notch further in a few weeks ago and again this morning.

“Well, you’re being put on a class two watch. When Gondi tells you from now on that it’s time to eat, you eat. If you go to a class one watch, you’ll be removed from this program. Understand?”

Pela swallowed. “Yes, ma’am.”

There was no way she wanted to be removed from the program. With no way to pay her debt off to the Victor Corp, she might have to resort to her parents’ wishes—to find a man to take her on. There was no way, no way in hell, she wanted that.

Leaving the doctor’s office, she chided herself. She was about to get news on her placements, where she’d be going to try out in space. She didn’t want to be watched, for health reasons.

She almost ran for the cafeteria. No better time than the present. When she addressed Gondi, she was firm. But it was really directing herself onto a better path. “Make sure I do not ignore you for meal times. And make sure I put enough food on my plate that I start to gain weight. You can help me with that, right?”

Gondi’s voice came back. “Of course I can. I’ll just bug you from now on until you get off your backside.”

It was as she was leaving the bathroom that the call came in from her parents. Gondi let her know who was asking for her attention. At first she’d hesitated; she had been drinking. But then she remembered the joy on seeing the results. She should be proud to tell them, and she was. She moved away from the bathroom to an area where there weren’t many people about, and then she accepted the call.

“We’ve been trying to get hold of you all evening. Where have you been?” her father came across with the sternest tone she’d listened to all day. It immediately brought her mood down.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve just been too busy with tests.”

“Tests? Who cares about tests? What kind of suitors have you been able to find?”

They didn’t care at all for her struggles, instead looking for the gains that they could make.

“Father, we got our results today. I’m advancing past the next level,” Pela said with a weak smile, looking at her father to see a smile or a look of shock on his face. Instead, her smile dimmed with his words.

“So many hopes were placed on you, but you’re doing tests and talking of advancements.” Her father shook his head, clearly unimpressed. “Come home and save us from the embarrassment. The Holga family has made appeals to us. It looks like they’re interested in finding someone who experienced the skill school and has the right upbringing to marry their third master.” Her father didn’t look pleased.

The third master was a known adulterer, and he wasn’t in line to gain power over the Holga clan.

To him, women were nothing but objects to be used.

Her father wanted to trade away her position to increase his personal power, not caring for the condition of his daughter.

Pela froze. The world started to fade away as her mother joined in on the conversation, talking about the wedding ceremony and the different plans that they had.

Her father nodded in the background, agreeing to everything as if it was only right.

“Father, Mother,” Pela said, feeling lost, as if she were seeing them for the first time. She had known that this was a possible future, but she hoped that with her achievements she would make them proud, that they would be happy for her.

They don’t care. This thought rocked her mind and sent her reeling.

“They have even agreed to pay off your debts, which are surely mounting. It is a shame that you weren’t able to find someone of good enough standing.” Her mother sighed.

She saw that there was nothing that she could do: she was but a tool for them, a commodity to be used.

“Sorry, I need to go.” With that, she closed communication with them.

She felt so small, so insignificant as she walked through Malazar school. The joy from making it into the next stage of training was dulled as her world cracked around her.

She had met such positive people who wanted nothing more than her success—but she wasn’t related to them.

Working on the teams, she felt alive; she stepped outside of her comfort zone. It didn’t matter where they came from; they could all joke and laugh together.

She made it to the cafeteria, grabbed a tray and doled food onto a plate. She didn’t even look around as she moved to a table and sat down.

The food tasted like nothing as she scooped it into her mouth. Staring at the bright-orange liquid and red vegetable-looking things inside it, she wasn’t so sure she was enjoying it or not.

“Go on,” Aileen came in behind her, and put her tray down, “you try it and tell me if it’s any good.”

“It’s not bad.” She poked it around the plate some more. Pela couldn’t help but notice out the large windows and this far up how much the world around them was changing. “Been growing well, hasn’t it?” she said to Aileen.

Aileen stared out the window in the direction she’d been looking. “Yeah. I think this city and the local area is so cool. Last week, I discovered an amazing market just down a few blocks.”

“You’ve been going out?” Pela asked.

Aileen shoved some food into her mouth and then chewed slowly, obviously enjoying it. When she’d almost finished, she grinned. “Sure, haven’t you?”

Pela put a forkful of food into her mouth and savored the sweet and yet nutty, not fruity taste to the dish. “No, been studying as much as I could. Making sure I’d pass all the exams.”

Aileen frowned at her. “You’re smarter than most of us. What the hell are you talking about?”

Pela glanced back to the large structures in the background, those still with cranes and construction around them. “I just want the best for me, for my clan. I figured study harder and everything else will fall into place.”

Aileen reached over and placed a hand on hers. “I’m heading out tonight, you know, with the others to celebrate our placements. Why don’t you come with us? I’ll show you some of the local sights, as well as enjoy our last days together.”

Pela looked at her and saw the genuine warmth. “I’d like that.” A slight tug at the back of her mind made her worry over the schedule she’d planned. But that was all. She could afford one night off, right? She wouldn’t be stupid; she’d still be home in time for some decent rest and then to move on. Wherever it might be.

“That’s awesome. I’ll see you in the dorms to get ready then, about nineteen hundred?”

Pela nodded and Aileen shoveled the rest of her food in her mouth and then started to chat away about the others. She seemed mostly to talk about Remy. And that amused Pela quite a lot; she smiled and nodded in all the right places.

Aileen finished the rest of her drink, made her excuses about some class, and vanished, leaving Pela with her half-finished meal and a thoughtful glance. She’d not really enjoyed the dish but knew she needed to eat. After the meeting with the doctor, it had been evident; with all the studying and running about these large complexes, her energy output had upped and yet her intake was dwindling.

Putting her tray away, she moved to the dormitory for a little while before their results were scheduled to come through. There were a few of her classmates sitting and lounging around. Some were talking about their futures, and others asleep. It was exactly where she wanted to be, somewhere that was part of a bigger plan. Back home, nothing but putting out to a guy she wasn’t interested in mattered.

Pela hadn’t noticed she’d drifted off to sleep. Gondi’s ping woke her a while later.

“There’s an incoming communication mail for you.”

Pela brought it up and hesitated. It was from the teacher of one of her classes: “Recommendations for Tier One candidates.”

“What’s this?” she asked him. “I’m not Tier One.”

Gondi pushed the “open” and she let out a sigh. Dear Tier One student.

Then it was scratched out.

Pela, even with your recent warning this morning, you’ve been accepted into the next phase for advanced engineering. Congratulations. You have one night off. Pack your bags and be ready to move by thirteen hundred tomorrow. Be warned: keep Doctor McKay off your back, study hard, and I see good things in your future.

Then she noticed the time. Crap… She ran for the main bathroom to shower and grab a change of clothes.

***

Aileen waited for her when she exited the stall. “Come on, we’re gonna miss the bus if you don’t hurry.”

Pela pulled out a change of clothes and Aileen shook her head. Within a second, she’d grabbed something out of her own closet and rushed back. “Your shoes will still work with this. Slip it over your head and I’ll tie it at the back so it doesn’t look as baggy.”

Pela frowned. Short months ago, she’d have been bursting out of the dress her friend now lent her. Now she was having to use a tie back. “Thank you,” she mumbled, as Aileen pulled the tie tight against her back then knotted it.

“You look beautiful.” She looked Pela up and down. “Let’s go.” Without another word and ignoring Pela’s still wet hair, she tugged her off and out of the dorm.

Aileen wasn’t the only one who noticed her. When they met up with Ashaeed and Remy, the two guys wolf whistled at them and laughed. “I think we’re the luckiest guys out tonight,” Remy said, eyeing Pela.

Pela blushed and couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Come on. We’ve a short ride to where we’re going tonight.” Ashaeed held out his arm for Pela to take.

He might have been a few years younger than her, but they all had a great friendship, which Pela was glad of. “Where we going?” she asked.

Remy shook his head. “I’m not even telling Aileen that.” He laughed. “This is my surprise. You girls both get your results?”

Pela glanced to Aileen, who grinned at her. “Yes, but we’ll share at dinner, yes?”

“Aw, come on, this trip would be a lot more exciting if you shared now!” Remy smiled, but pulled Aileen away.

Pela and Ashaeed could only follow. “You’ve no idea where he’s taking us?”

Ashaeed shrugged. “I do hope it’s to a good restaurant, though. We deserve that at least. Besides, we’ve barely spent any of our allotted payments, right? I noted all of us rarely went out.” He pointed toward Aileen. “Well, bar Aileen’s shopping trips, but I think she went more to look than buy.”

Pela now knew although her friend had some lovely clothes, she’d never once brought anything back with her, hence why she’d never thought she’d left Malazar Skill School.

They walked for what seemed awhile, first to get out of the school’s grounds and then in and out of a few city streets, toward a main station. The shuttle stations hadn’t been back up and running for long, mostly bringing in supplies for building and then other goods as the area around developed. But when Pela saw the station itself, she was quite surprised. The gardens around it were well maintained, green, and wonderfully colored flowers and trees stood proudly growing in the newly planted beds. Beautiful wasn’t the word, and the hustle and bustle around it was intoxicating.

“There’s only four scheduled shuttles in and out for civilians and students,” Remy told them. “We’re booked on the next one.”

Pela watched as a shuttle approached. It wasn’t quite the same as the ones she’d arrived on Crisidium in. These were luxury tour shuttles. “Must have cost a small fortune.”

Remy grinned. “I thought it was something we could enjoy, so why not. Besides, I think Ashaeed and I deserve to be accompanied by beautiful women and see this fair city once and for all…” When he paused, Pela looked at him. He noticed her and smiled. “We might never get to come back after our next stage.”

Pela glanced to him again and noted the emotion on his face. He actually genuinely cared for them all. They’d spent many evenings, the four of them, going over materials, math equations, problems, and sometimes well into the night. But she’d never really thought about what that connection meant to her. Now, facing the changes ahead, and being with all three of them, she choked up and fought down her emotions, living in the moment with a smile on her face.

“Woo-hoo! Shotgun!” Aileen yelled, rushing into the shuttle.

“Dammit!” Ashaeed yelled after her, breaking the solemn moment.

Remy and Pela laughed, following after them into the craft. Once inside the shuttle, Aileen and Remy headed off to one of the projection walls that allowed you to look out of the shuttle as if there were no wall.

Ashaeed remained behind. It seemed he sensed Pela’s mood as he smiled.

“Will you do me the honor, milady.” Ashaeed held out his arm.

At his over-the-top, posh accent, Pela rolled her eyes and looped her arm in his.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said as Ashaeed led her through the shuttle and they reached the observation area, where Remy and Aileen were talking to each other and pointing out different things.

Remy noticed Ashaeed and Pela, turning to include them as he used his finger to illustrate his words. “We’re to take a tour around Malazar and then it will land just south of the new gardens.”

“Prepare for departure. Please move to your seats.” The pilot’s voice came over the speakers as they looked to one another and moved for their seats.

When they sat down, they were able to connect via their NIAIs to the sensors. They could see everything around the shuttle as its doors closed and its engines kicked in.

Slowly, it lifted off from its docking cradle, then orientated itself along its flight path and pushed forward. Their acceleration increased as they left Malazar, going in a long loop around the city, showing it off in all its glory.

Pela could only watch as the scenery changed while she tried to pick out the familiar sights and locations on the ground.

“I can’t believe how much it’s changed,” Aileen said, the four of them connected through a communication channel.

There were huge differences. Pela remembered her flight in. Malazar was almost incomparable to those ruins, the city still so very destroyed. Building and rubble everywhere in the surrounding areas, where the enemy had almost beaten them. Now it was rich with areas that had been newly planted and buildings, if not already under way, were plotted out and the groundwork had already begun.

The layout of the spiral had been started. There were three buildings, the headquarters in the center, then the two growing metal and glass towers that were starting to loop around it.

There were foundations for another five buildings laid out, creating a spiral around the headquarters that was already twenty stories and growing rapidly.

Roads had been laid down, with crews working even now to extend them.

The towers were alight even as dusk started to fall, students learning with on-the-job training. Pela felt pride knowing that she had been one of the people who had contributed to this growing city and school grounds.

She had never seen something as large as it or ambitious. Knowing that she’d left her mark on it—it was a hard thing to describe. She felt warm and happy, knowing that they would be used for generations to come.

They turned away from the city and headed to the southern gardens. The gardens were part of the city; they were the outskirts for now but with time they’d be wrapped up in the city.

The gardens had been built around an oasis that was being slowly pumped into the city. It could have been turned into an industrial complex to clean and return water; instead, it had been turned into a place to escape.

Building and growing was one thing, but sometimes people needed to get away. There might be cafeterias in the Malazar school, but there were also a number of growing restaurants that served food from Tricticus and the different regions. For a taste of home, people were more than happy to pay a little extra for their food.

The trip was over far too soon, and Pela couldn’t stop smiling as she disconnected from the sensors as they started to descend. “Thank you,” she said to Remy.

It was a short walk to a local restaurant out of the way, tucked back where it seemed none of the others had wandered off to. Pela wondered how Remy had thought of it all but it was nice to celebrate in good company. “Come on then, spill.”

Without hesitating, all four of them said together, “Tier One!”

Then they laughed, clinked glasses and excitedly started talking about what it all meant for them. Pela had not felt as good in many years. Not only were these three her fellow students, they were her friends—the kind that couldn’t be bought and couldn’t be wished for.

Pela sat back, a smile on her lips as she drank from her glass, just watching and listening to their antics. Aileen was deep in conversation with Remy over certain aspects of refinery production. She’d really enjoyed herself and it had made the whole skill school experience and being around her friends even more special. Listening to them gave her some time to think over what she wanted for her future: to stay planetside or do her trials in space. Options she might later have now that she was moving onto study further, all the basics covered. The real tests came from here on. She pushed the conversation with her parents to the back of her mind.

It felt right to be here. This was where she was meant to be.

Chapter Twelve

EMFC Avenger

Oort Cloud, Osdal System

5/3556

Captain Jean-Pierre Marcelle woke with a sore head. In fact, much more than a sore head. He sucked in a breath and waited for the voices, the techs.

Nothing.

Cold. All he could feel was the insurmountable cold surrounding him. It was never this bad on waking up.

Forcing his eyes open, there was a blurry figure in the distance. Marcelle forced himself to blink as flickering lights illuminated the pod he was in.

The rest of the spine holding the different cryopods was only slowly starting to turn on but there were no medics moving around and it seemed as if everyone else was asleep still.

There was usually an EMF tech or medic to greet him and get him updated on what was going on. There was just a man standing outside his cryopod, with his helmet off to the side. He wore a used space suit with “Victor Corporation” on his chest.

The cryopod opened and Marcelle shivered. The ship hadn’t warmed up yet.

“Captain Marcelle, I am Captain Aaron Grild of the VCF Fernix. I am sorry for the confusion on your awakening. Forgive me.”

Marcelle stood, his legs shakily finding their footing on the cold floor. The ship should have woken him up before this. Just who the hell is this Aaron Grild?

Too many questions, but his brain started to focus as he looked at Aaron. Then he pulled his gun.

***

Aaron’s opinion of Marcelle rose. He was clearly groggy from coming out of cryo, but Marcelle had taken the waking up to seeing a man he didn’t know pretty well, at least on the outside. A captain like Marcelle had been through and seen it all, and for the most part was as alert as they come. Being woken up without any techs around him had him on high alert; there would be no officer alive who wouldn’t be. This situation was, after all, probably planned for in their emergency protocol.

Aaron’s smaller shuttle had managed to get to the EMFC Avenger within a very decent timeframe. What he needed to happen now and what actually could was a gamble.

He’d made his way up to the bridge, with a bag containing water and rations from his ship, and once there, he pushed the main buttons for entry. The codes he got from Moretti allowed him to not set off sensors around the ship, waking the crew as soon as they were in range. But it had taken him some time to get inside and in to wake the captain.

“I have nothing for a Captain Grild,” he said simply. “State your business before I blow your fucking head off!”

Marcelle had an accent but Aaron couldn’t pinpoint where from. Aaron moved quickly to the man’s second-in-command’s station and held out a data chip. It had taken awhile to get the required information on it that he knew he had to show the man, but he held it out also for the captain to take. “It’s safe—nothing on it but information. I believe your security scanners can verify that.”

Marcelle pushed himself up and out of the cryopod. He then took the chip and placed it in a reader. Within a few seconds, a green light came on and he moved to install it into the side of his station’s computer.

“You want me to watch this, now? Before you speak?”

Marcelle looked confused, but Aaron nodded. “What’s on there will tell you more than I could. Just know that this is no joke.”

“You do realize that sounds very ominous?” Marcelle pressed play on the station, taking a seat so he could watch it.

Aaron had toyed with many ways of doing this, but the visuals were the only thing he really needed. The true war effort and the cities that had fallen and were still falling would be enough to turn any commander’s stomach. He sat near him, watching closely the reactions from the officer.

Marcelle’s face hardened as he watched. He drank and chewed some of the ration bar, but his face gave Aaron the answers he needed.

Marcelle faced him when the vids had finished. “This is no joke, those things? Those people?”

Aaron shook his head. “No, none of this is a joke, I’m sorry to say.”

“Has the EMF fallen?”

“No, but as far as the human race is concerned, they all might as well have.”

“How many years have we been asleep? I can’t get the data to display.”

Aaron moved slightly in his chair so that he could reach the captain’s computer pad. “I’ve locked outside communications completely. No one knows you’re waking up, and I need to keep it that way for now.”

Marcelle was quick to act this time. He pulled the gun from his back and pointed it directly at Aaron. “So you are trying to take the carrier, after all!”

Aaron held up his hands. “No. No, I’m not.” He paused. “Well, actually, yes, I am but not for those kinds of reasons. Please sit back down and listen.” He watched as the captain cycled back and forth with questions and possible answers in his own head; then he sat back down and Aaron pulled up a particular vid from his chip. Here he zoomed in. “You remember Mark and Tyler Victor?”

Marcelle grinned now. “What man alive doesn’t know those names? Savior of many, those two brothers.”

“You’d trust them in battle, yes?” Aaron knew he was leading these questions in. Hook, line, and sinker—bring him in now, or never.

He tapped the screen. “That man there fighting is Mark Victor.”

Marcelle moved closer to the screen. “He’s changed, a lot. What’s the tech?”

“Again, there’s a lot to talk about, but I work for Mark. My shuttle was built by the Victor Corporation at the Yard, where we’re gathering forces to finally defeat these creatures.”

“He still fights like Diablo.” Marcelle watched Mark’s form as the video played out once again, slashing and dicing the monsters on the screen.

Aaron was proud of his brother-in-arms. “That he does. But, he also needs your help. He needs the help of the carriers.”

“The Avenger?”

“Not just the Avenger—the whole fleet. General Ortiz is waking some of the others up.”

“Your plan for me and mine?”

“Is to help me convince some more of them that we’re on the right side.”

Chapter Thirteen

Refinery Seventy-Seven

Oort Cloud, Osdal System

5/3556

Flanked by two of her most trusted men, Carly made her way through to the scheduled meeting. She’d had just as much sleep as the others, but she knew that this was a trying time for them all.

They all knew Mark, and they all knew what he had been capable of back then. But now, so many years later… The sudden arrival of their freighter, with the addition of Alcubierre drives, the messages from Mark to give the Fernix some time to wake the Avenger. She still didn’t know where it would lead, but at least it looked like there would be a future.

Her guards stopped following her as she reached the designated meeting room. Four others stood outside; they nodded to one another and then she typed in her codes and was granted access to the room.

Once inside, another guard checked she was carrying no weapons. She rolled her eyes and waited for the all clear. Then she was allowed farther inside and to the secure meeting.

When the shimmering glass door closed behind her and she noted who was at the table, she smiled. “Felicia, Johnny.” She greeted the tow others inside the room.

Felicia was sitting at the table while Johnny as per normal was trying to burn a hole into the ground as he walked back and forth.

“Carly,” Felicia smiled as Johnny cleared his throat.

“Alright, now we’re all here we can talk about what is happening.

“Captain Grild is looking to awake avenger, it looks like he has codes to bypass the controls placed on the ships by the EMF. He has also given me an order, from Mark Victor himself. A purchase order for all manner of processed materials. The Maruakian threat is real and parts are in motion to secure the powerbase of the Victor Corporation in a new system.”

Johnny’s face didn’t relax, filled with lines. He moved to panel, removing it and pulling out a bottle and a glass, he poured himself one, quickly tossing it back.

He took a breath, letting out a hiss as the alcohol kicked.

“Shit,” He put the bottle and glass on the table, leaning forwards as he looked at the glass, collecting himself.

“I want to move to wherever they’re going,” He looked up at the two women.

“We always knew that we were on a timer until the EHC tried to re-establish control here, the Avenger isn’t hiding out there just because there are some nice asteroids to sleep beside. The EMF was made to maintain control. If we can leave Osdal, go to where the Victor Corporation is, well it looks like they’re doing something right, the Victor Yard has to be going somewhere. I want to go there instead of wait until the noose slips around my neck, whether it’s the EMF, the Union, the Maraukians or some other prick with armored goons.

Felicia and Carly didn’t look away, each of them had their own guarded expressions as they thought on the decision that they would have to make as well.

“If we can get good conditions, I’m with you, lived in one system long enough, it would be good to see another,” Felicia said, sharing a look with Johnny before she looked over to Carly.

“Well maybe it’s a little cooler than Osdal,” Carly smiled, she felt her heart twist a bit, this was the place she had been born. Her actions would lead her somewhere new, a place that she didn’t know.

“We keep this to ourselves. We need to negotiate with Captain Grild and the Victor Corporation, see if we can get a good deal. Hold the power, then mobilize on it,” Johnny must have seen Felicia starting to open her mouth as he spoke louder and faster. “I’m not looking to screw the over, just make sure that we can look after as many of our people as possible. If Mark said that he needed us and didn’t have the funds. I would bankrupt myself sell the refineries to help him,” Johnny said.

Felicia’s words died in her throat as Carly let out a long breath.

“The Harmony War, seems a lifetime ago, now the Maraukian war. Even one would be too much for a lifetime,” She didn’t try to hide her sadness.

The others didn’t have words to say to that as they fell silent as well.

Chapter Fourteen

Refinery Seventy-Seven

Oort Cloud, Osdal System

5/3556

Aaron waited for confirmation that Marcelle had everyone woken that he needed to. The ship’s systems had been easy to start up. Waking key medicos and engineers and everyone else he thought might be needed from the get-go also meant the key officers. These needed to be men who Marcelle trusted completely. “I know a few I should just send right on home,” he’d said and Aaron made sure he knew not to wake those.

This was supposed to be a smaller meeting, a place where they could address concerns, but the sheer size of the ship meant that it wasn’t going to be so. There were a few thousand people needed to be addressed now, and it might as well have been all at once. The officers were now in this room, and other members were at their posts around the ship, listening in together with their colleagues.

Aaron and Marcelle stood in the conference room. There, sitting before them, were over four thousand men and women. Some hushed talking was going on, but for the most part, they seemed in good spirits. For them, being woken was just as much of a shock as it had been to Marcelle, instantly on alert and ready to fight.

In front of the crowd were the other major officers Marcelle had chosen to wake himself. Several key members of command were still in cryo, but that was due to Marcelle’s choices. Perhaps they weren’t to be trusted without the backing of the ship, or maybe they were more EMF personnel than he’d have liked.

Aaron stood by and watched as Marcelle addressed the more prominent men on his ship.

“To be woken for battle is nothing we don’t know or understand as troopers of the EMF.” He turned to the large screen behind him. “For some of you, this video might be small; you can view from the tablets on the chair in front. Please watch this very carefully.”

When he indicated for the video to play, instant shock reverberated around the room at the sheer monstrosity that faced them. Maraukians.

Then came the information of the Victors’ betrayal. This brought more shock than Aaron thought it would. All of them alike sounded off at this: “How could they?” and “Why?”

When the video ended, there was, however, no talking at all. They waited for Marcelle to speak. Marcelle instead turned to Aaron.

“Now you have their attention. I suggest you tell them the plan and their choices.”

Aaron moved to center stage. “You have seen the forces we are up against and the inner betrayal that has bestowed upon itself in the EMF. We would never force anyone to join us. You, however, have been woken by your captain as his most loyal men and women. You may stay and fight with whom I’m here representing, the Victor Corporation, and this vessel will be taken under their protection, not known as the EMF Avenger anymore, but the VCF Avenger. There are two choices for you: you may stand and fight with us, or you may choose another life. Osdal is a thriving community—there’s a place there, a life you can have there, but the decisions are yours.”

Shouts started then: “No way,” and to his surprise, “We stick together.” He had to stifle his chuckle, but he was proud. There were no indications that they would turn their back on this fight. For one brief moment, Aaron hoped that this would be ship-wide. If they could turn all twenty-five ships to their advantage, then the EMF and the legion would have a force to be reckoned with. VCF wouldn’t be pushed over anymore. He kept his fingers crossed behind his back and carried on.

“Then all of you will be assigned tasks. This ship is in dire need of some upgrades. We’ll be negotiating with Osdal for the resources we need to do this. My techs will come aboard and instruct all departments. I’ll be heading toward Osdal for some further negotiations while these are happening. Then, once your upgrades are complete, you will be heading toward the main defense position of Emarl. It’s a long journey. You’ll have time to upgrade and learn more about the timeline you’re in. More about the politics that surround us and are separating these once great civilizations.” Aaron turned to Marcelle. “I think after we speak with General Ortiz, I can leave these very capable people in your hands.”

Marcelle nodded. “Thank you, Captain.”

Aaron moved to leave the room. “Let us see how the general is getting on, shall we.”

Marcelle led the way. “I’ve heard a great many things about him. It will be an honor to talk to him. If he succeeds in waking all the ships, this will be a day to record. Most of us are generations apart.”

Chapter Fifteen

Legionnaire Headquarters

Roma, Hellenic System

5/3556

Reports were still coming in from the Ramesh system. Damus had hesitated at first in sending in more reinforcements as it seemed the legatus there was in control, but the longer their incursion lasted, the more it seemed like they might lose. It had taken Legatus Placus Sita too long to get through to him and the obvious was evident. Without more men, they’d lose the system. Damus was given no other choice in the circumstances but to remove him from his position and put someone else in charge. It hadn’t been an easy decision, but it was for the best. Ramesh wasn’t a system he wanted to lose; their resources were almost in line with that of Emarl.

It was the new legatus who was trying to get through to him now over secure comms. Not wanting to take the call right away, he had put it off, but then relented and took it.

“Apologies for disturbing you, Legatus.”

“What’s the problem?”

“We have sighted four more Maraukian barges heading this way.”

“You’re sure?”

“There were several reports coming through from different locations.”

“How many do you still face?”

“The usual four came through and hit. We’ve been in constant contact with them in waves. We believed we’d beaten them back enough to go on the offensive.”

“Just the number, Legate.”

“Down to two million in contact outside the city, sir.”

Damus brought up the ships he had in that area that might make it to Ramesh alongside the Maraukians. But it would leave someone else exposed, and he wasn’t very comfortable in doing that. However, their need for raw materials now that Nerva’s gardens had departed meant that the growing cities in Ramesh were too valuable to let go. Relenting on that decision to end the protection for their neighbors, Damus quickly passed over orders to the ships nearest. “We’ll have reinforcements heading your way as soon as possible. If the Maraukians arrive before they do, I can only hope that you hold out.”

Damus could see that he wanted to say more, but he cut the comms. He’d need to speak to the senators who managed the systems he’d just left exposed.

Legatus Legionis Fabius Varius wasn’t hesitant to get him on comms. He faced his equal with a stern look, knowing what was coming.

“How dare you move those ships without speaking to me first!”

“The more we debate the actions we could have taken, the quicker the demise of the Ramesh system, you can see that surely?”

Fabius’s cool blue eyes pierced his, and his face flushed. “There are protocols you should stick to, Damus, no matter the intentions.”

Damus was fresh out of patience. With the thought of losing the system came many more thoughts about the Maraukians getting closer to Roma herself.

He found himself drawing closer to the screen.

“I do not give a fuck about protocol when our people are dying. I do not give a fuck if your feelings were hurt. What I do give a fuck about is there are four more Maraukian barges heading in toward the Ramesh system. Without Nerva’s gardens, and without Ramesh, you do realize how royally screwed we are for food production?”

Fabius’s eyes dimmed and he didn’t hesitate to cut their call.

Damus sat back and ran a hand through his hair, his decision the right one.

Chapter Sixteen

Freighter O-41 (Wind Snapper)

In Transit from Emarl to Hellenic System

5/3556

His contacts had told him the forty-seven cities on Osdal Actual had become forty-nine and all but four were now under the control of the EMF. This planet and her systems hadn’t changed much in the last few years. The EMFC Avenger had stayed behind and cleared out the remaining Harmony Chosen, and that had brought with it an even greater respect for the EMF. But the troopers and the Avenger were back on the outskirts of the system now, retasked.

The cities and the mining facilities had all had a vast change of leadership but it had been for the best. Now it was a negotiating nightmare, though. And Moretti had his work cut out for him in getting the best possible trade going with her after their last encounters, but he was willing to try.

Moretti was set for an online meeting with Felicia, the owner of the Gold Runner. If she was his lead to negotiate with the other stations and facilities on Osdal, then opening communication was important. But he wasn’t looking forward to this. She was a tough old gal who knew her stuff and fought for every ounce of it.

When the screen came up with her face, she had a few more wrinkles and seemed to have lost a fair bit of weight.

Moretti smiled at her. “Good to see you.”

“Mister Moretti.” Felicia held his gaze. “What can I do for you today?”

Moretti nodded. “Straight down to business as usual.”

“I have a busy day ahead of me, so yeah. Did you get the changes on your paperwork?”

Moretti glanced down to his pile of notifications. He’d been through them, seen all the changes she’d asked for. “Yes. I think your prices are higher than I’d like to pay...”

Felicia’s eyes never left his. “But?”

“The materials I asked for from you are a much higher quality, I see that. You’ve been working hard.”

“Always do. Mining here’s been my life.” Felicia nodded, and pointed to the view outside. “Without the EMF boys and Mark, there would not be a safe place for us, and we certainly wouldn’t have the facilities that we do.”

“I understand that. Moving away from the EHC to trade with the Victor Corp is a big decision for you.”

Moretti watched as her face changed. “A lot of us have lost faith in many, but Mark and his brother aren’t easily forgotten.”

“No.” Moretti remembered their encounters.

“So what did you really call about? It certainly wasn’t about the resources and their quality,” Felicia said.

“I want to offer a solution. The three freighters that were supposed to appear in Osdal in the coming decades will arrive within a couple of months. I want to give you an option, all of Osdal an option: wait for the Maraukians to show up, or the corporations, or come to the Emarl system. My terms are simple: pay your passage in raw materials or take on debt toward the Victor Corporation that can be paid through materials or service rendered. People can bring their own vessels, though we will be building more mining vessels in-system that people can once again buy on credit or with resources.”

Felicia didn’t show any signs. She was one tough cookie who had been in her fair number of negotiations. She might be friends with Moretti but this was talking about the future of her people.

“What rates will the resource buyback be at?” Felicia asked.

Moretti sent her an information package. “These are varying market rates based on platinum’s overall rate. This number can, of course, change. As you know with mining, one week there might be a ton of iron coming in, the next there’s a large shipload of gold and copper. The rates will change but we will honor the agreement and the interest won’t be too much. Also, if not resources, then people can pay with platinum credits if they can earn it in another industry.”

“This mining industry, will it be an umbrella of the Victor Corporation?”

“There will be assets of the Victor Corporation that are dedicated to mining, but anything that people bring here will not be under the purview of the VC, nor will anything that is built by people in the system become part of the Victor Corporation—unless it’s sold to them, of course,” Moretti said.

Felicia bobbed in her chair, looking at Moretti. “All right, send over all of the paperwork. If it is as good as you’re saying, then I’ll push it out to the people of Osdal myself. We both know that if the Luyten Conglomerate gets here, then it’s going to turn into a shit show. Always wanted to see another star system.” Felicia cracked a smile.

“I hope you’re ready for it.” Moretti smiled, relieved. He sent over all of the information packets for her to review with her people.

“I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” She signed off.

Moretti moved to the next job on his list, and the captain of the VCF Promise, Blu Austen’s, comm came in before he could do anything else. He answered it with a, “Heck, you miss me already?”

“I have a few issues I think I can sort out, but I wanted to talk over a couple of specific things with you.”

Moretti paused and focused on his old friend. “Whatever you need, we’ll get you sorted.”

“Nah, I’m not struggling for anything. I’d like to speak with the guy in charge of all the alterations, the new specs for these cryopods we’ll be building. Some of my guys think there are some risks and they need answers. I am all for wanting to bring our people to Emarl and all, but I don’t want a cargo hold full of dead bodies.”

“I will pass on the request. You should be able to speak with him yourself—why come to me?”

“There’s some internal fighting about what rights we’ll have when we get there. The terms from the Victor Corp are clear and very generous, but as you know, we like to operate under our own steam, without ties. When we get there, we have a lot of extra resources to sell. We’d like to clear any debts and begin afresh.”

He wasn’t so sure on the resources that Austen would have, but he understood the reasons. “You all standing on your own?”

“Of course. We’re staying under the radar. Our sorts of services are required all around the known universe; it just seems that our universe just shrank a thousand times.”

Moretti thought about this, and Austen was right: secret ops were carrying on even still within the ranks of many. He had tabs on most of them; he knew most of them personally. “The information and your standing will not change. All we need to do is find somewhere for you to base yourself and set up on your own. The people of Masoul have a decent reputation to uphold. I’ll make sure it stays that way.”

“Good. Last thing we all want is to just be absorbed by Emarl. We may be evacuating our home, but we’re still rightfully trained.”

“Understood, Captain. I’ll keep you posted and will speak with Mark so that you can have a direct link to Charles and his merger team.”

“Good. I think one of mine has some specific enhancements to try out; he’d like to talk over the batteries systems. Thinks we can improve our time to Emarl with some tweaking.”

Moretti didn’t like the sounds of that: Austen was worried overtaking the new design for the cryopods, but he wanted to mess around with their battery packs? Didn’t make sense.

“All right, I don’t need to know what you guys are messing with. Get loaded, get the upgrades in, and get your asses to Emarl. Once everyone is there, things will be more organized, more central and you’ll see what and why I’m insisting it happens.”

“You were never one to mess us about, M. We’re not stupid. We’ve seen reports and heard rumors on the Maraukians, where they’ll be heading after they’ve taken several other sectors. If Emarl seems to be the best option, we’re not holding back—just will take us some time to get our battered crap together.”

“Leave no one behind,” M said.

Austen frowned. “The fuck we won’t. Gotta good mind to blow the cities to smithereens, but think we could use the ammo when we get to our new home.”

Moretti let the conversation go, and signed out. He then made sure he sent a message off to the others. They had no choice but to move fast. They all needed them there. The spy network among them and throughout the ships that were also heading to Emarl all needed to focus and bring this in, tightening all the connections, making sure that no bit of information could sneak out.

This was what Moretti lived for. The keeper of info. The manager of all. They all knew him, they all respected him, but it had not come easy. This work that he did was more powerful than Mark or the Victor Corp. Without this network of crisscrossing events, logs, and maneuverings, there would be no lead. Pushing and motivating the right people across the galaxies to do certain things was how he liked to get the job done. A whisper, a rumor, then it was like they’d made the decisions.

If it hadn’t been for him, then there would be no circulating thoughts on Roma about awakening the Shadow Legion. He knew that was in the cards; he knew that without them stepping in, Roma was lost. The chaos that was coming across from his channels there was astounding: fighting in the streets, the war over many things, and political boundaries being pushed and pulled all over. He could see the senators sectioning off, making their own preparations. He could see how this was going to play out without intervention from someone that Roma trusted, someone who Nerva trusted with his own life and that of the legion.

He’d spoken with Nerva only once on what happened those many years ago. The fact was that when they fought against the first Maraukian invasions, they formed the best parts of Roma and decided what she stood for. There and then, they’d put into place the deepest of secrets: a force that no one would reckon with, a legion so powerful in legend and thought that if they were to be brought back from sleep that it meant the largest of wars was coming, internally. Moretti was saddened by this, but he also understood how politics and rot on the inside could bring down a nation. He’d witnessed it many a time on other planets. He didn’t want to see it with Roma, so with just one tiny seed, her name was sown into the thoughts of the emperor. That was all it needed to get this ball rolling.

The name, and the force, was Legate Zedra, commander of the Shadow Legion. She was a legend, just as much as Nerva was. She stood for everything that was right for Roma and for the human population. She had no political allies, and nothing to gain from them. Her war stories weren’t told as much as Nerva’s, but her stories were saved for the children. The children learned she was a rising tide; if they ever needed her, she would wipe Roma clean once more. When the 40,000 men were asked to volunteer for her legion, the emperor at the time hadn’t expected the response, to lose so many good men, but to know that if they were needed to save them, they’d be there. It was a great day that they went beneath the palace and into cryo, and it was celebrated throughout the city.

When Moretti circulated the name, he knew it would get to Damus and Cassius. He knew that they’d finally step up and do what was necessary. They would waken their own salvation.

Chapter Seventeen

VCF Promise

Oort Cloud, Masoul

5/3556

Austen knew he had his work cut out for him and his ship, but he wasn’t against a challenge. And with Moretti’s backing and orders, he knew they’d pull this off.

They arrived in Masoul within a few days of their transit time, and things were already starting to come into play.

Moretti had done exactly as he’d asked: he’d put in the request for his science officers and Charles of the mergers to communicate and go through what their plans really entailed. The fabbers on the planet had to start making the cryopods, and anything else that he thought they might need. A few weapons upgrades wouldn’t have gone amiss, but they were on the lower end of the scale. Getting them all to Emarl was the priority now.

Austen needed a meeting between the main leaders on Masoul, and not the political ones; he wanted to get through to those who worked on the inside. Most of them were Moretti’s counterparts, those he had personally worked with as he grew into the man he was today. Austen had a lot of respect for M. Without him, as a planetary system they might not have what they did now, and that wasn’t much. Still rebuilding, still making it the best they could. It had never been enough.

Now the prospect of joining the new system had been put to the elders there, and they’d all agreed the move was the best decision for them. That meant talking to everyone. The decision was unanimous: they would all leave. They would bring every asset, and that meant the ship needed more space. In fact, much more than even he thought was possible. So the cryopods had been adapted for not only this situation but in bringing the people of Earth to Emarl too. He’d been right to be worried, though. Now, looking over the modifications from his own teams, he read through the reports from Charles and the mergers scientists. It seemed there were modifications that would make the pods easier, their power consumption on the ship easier. That was the puzzle piece that he needed to sort out and now he would go into the production and assembly of them all without worrying. When someone he knew and trusted complained about the science, he knew something was off. Onboard his ship was the best mind on Masoul: Eleis Vant. That one man had saved his life and those on his ship more often than any other.

Eleis knocked at his door and when he pushed to come in, Austen smiled. His second-in-command, Sanny Gard, was with him too. “Happy?” he directed at Eleis.

“The fabbers stopped their production and are now concentrating on the materials we need to pull the towers apart and retrofit them. Shouldn’t take more than a month. With all our teams and the people of Masoul on it, we should be on schedule to leave.”

“Word on the population, Sanny?”

“Totaling one point eight million.”

“We weren’t that far out in our estimate.”

“No, Captain. But this is all safe for us, right?”

Austen could see her concern. “Your family lives and works at one of the fabber stations, right?”

She nodded. “Tier One, yes, sir.”

“Then don’t worry. We’ll double-check everything with our good friend Eleis here before we move, correct?”

Captain Austen smiled at him and he smiled back. “Everything conforms with my expectations. We’ve corroborated it all with Charles and his team. I know we’ve got this down to the tiniest of a percentage.”

Sanny seemed to take this in her stride and sat down before her captain. “All reports across the planet are coming in. Everyone is making their move toward Landing City. As soon as the towers are ready, they’ll start to be loaded. Everyone’s been told minimum essentials only. Mostly everything’s being left. The population don’t need to bring belongings—a new home means new possibilities all over, right?”

Austen wondered on the sheer amount of those possibilities. He knew they’d all gotten the same proposals as everyone else, but packing up like this meant they were leaving a lot behind. Homes, belongings, and so much more.

He nodded and moved to open his holo vids, selecting the one he wanted them to see. The rebuilding of Tricticus and essentially the high king’s home. “If they’ve got riches like this, and can build cities out from the ashes of a Maraukian attack, then we’re doing the right thing.” He looked to Eleis as he watched. “Get those crews moving as fast as possible. The quicker we get out of here, the quicker we can set up and mark a section of Emarl for us.”

Eleis nodded and quickly moved to the door. “I’ll report in as soon as I can.”

Chapter Eighteen

Senator Rimateus’s Estate

Roma, Hellenic System

6/3556

The screen before him opened up and Rimateus could see the position of his personal guard that would be leaving for Luyten. It had taken some getting together, but they would meet up with a lead from there and head on to Emarl.

Captain Uche waited on comms for him. After their last communication, Rimateus was only waiting for confirmation that they were ready to start their journey. He’d passed on plans for their upgrades, sorted out many of their requests and had been waiting. Waiting wasn’t his best feature. But now it seemed his wait was over. This meant that finally some of his other plans were coming together. He might well succeed.

“Everything has been upgraded to your specifications,” Uche reported. “There’s been consistent work in securing our ships and in preparing the men on board.”

“Good,” Rimateus replied. He’d not wanted any of this to get back to Tertius, or Hesra. In fact, he’d not heard from Tertius’s son in quite some time. A promise to redeem himself no doubt set in motion. Rimateus wished he could take the fool into custody himself. It did pain him a little. Hesra had been close to him. Possibly closer than some of his own family as now distant as they were.

Taking in the stock of the ships he’d set loose toward Luyten, Rimateus rubbed his hands together. With Dominguez dead…

That’s when the comms were interrupted by someone else. Rimateus looked to see who it was. Hesra.

“Captain Uche, continue with our plans. I will speak to you en route.” He cut the comms, waiting for some time before he accepted the comms from Hesra.

“What is it you want?” Rimateus asked, anger surfacing as his fingers flexed beneath his desk.

“Dominguez is alive,” he said, and then he was gone.

Rimateus grabbed for the nearest thing he could throw and he did. Glass shattered and exploded all over his floor.

It couldn’t be true. Why had he not heard of it before now?

With anger and pure poison flooding his system, Rimateus stood and exited his office. Where he was going, he’d only one thought to. If he couldn’t get to Mark Victor through her, then he would this way. He just needed to make sure these plans were set in motion well enough. The information he’d had was hard to find; the research seemed to be sanctioned at one point and then removed from the net. Now there was no clear or successful way to create mergers, without Mark. There were too many glitches, and those glitches were another knife in his back. His best scientists were working around the clock now. If he couldn’t have the mergers any other way, then he’d get them like this. He’d create his own, with those desperate to wipe out debt or something else.

He quickly brought up the comms and sent his operative a message: “I need your reports today. Get back to me.”

Her reply came back quickly. “Yes, sir.”

***

It hadn’t taken Atia long to get back to him; it was, however, at an inconvenient time. So he pushed her report to the back of his mind and carried on with something he needed to do.

That brought him to sit down much later and go over her details with reverence.

Atia was in charge of an underground operation that had started the day the mergers pulled everything off the net.

Luckily, several people around him had thought one day it might happen, so the information they’d needed to start this operation off was secure and tucked away where the mergers couldn’t get at it. Rimateus did, however, know that one day soon, they’d get wind of what he was trying. That would be the day he finally got what he wanted: a merger army of his own. If they could join the net just like Mark, then it would not be a secret for long.

The reports started to anger him, however, and finally, flipping his comms on, he contacted Atia directly.

“I asked you to confirm we were on the right path, not deliver me this!”

His words were not calm and he wanted nothing more than to start smashing heads together. If this wasn’t going to work at all, he needed to know. Not to be fed false hopes.

Atia lowered her head. “I’m sorry, Senator, but the scientists are doing everything they can down in the labs. But...”

Rimateus knew what was coming next. “But what? They want more money, more resources?”

She nodded. “Yes. They are saying that there’s something missing from the information, that without it there will be nothing they can do to help the men they’ve been trying to get to merge.”

“Trying? I am not accepting trying anymore,” Rimateus hissed. “I want nothing less than done. Do you understand?”

She looked at him, meeting his eyes with her calm gaze. “Of course, sir.”

Rimateus closed out his comms channel and thought about the results. The experiments had started off horribly, resulting in some of the volunteers being eaten alive by the nanite vats, not able to complete any sort of change. Now at least they were surviving, but they weren’t in any fit state for anything, not even half men, in horrendous pain as their skin didn’t belong to them; they had no control, or they were just vegetables. Everything seemed to be there; there was just no brain to work with it. No matter what the vital parts to this puzzle were inside the Vanguard, and no matter how hard they were trying, it seemed his scientists weren’t smart enough. He would have to ditch them and get someone else involved if this was the case. He’d put out some requests, and find smarter people to work for him. These two brothers needed to go, and that meant everyone they were associated with, too.

He quickly sent the new orders for Atia. She’d have no qualms in offing the scientists. At least that would put an end to their stupidity. Within seconds, new applications came through, wanting to work for him. He smiled. Now that was how it should be—fast. With a quick look at the new candidates, he grinned. New minds to this project was exactly what he needed. Now maybe he stood a chance at getting a merger of his own.

Chapter Nineteen

Emperor’s Residence

Roma, Hellenic System

6/3556

It had been a few months now since Nerva’s gardens had left Hellenica and there were worrying projections coming in. Cassius didn’t want to be in his office so much but with things the way they were, he spent more time here lately, and sometimes stayed into early hours of the night—going over reports, meetings with other people around the systems.

Today was going to be no different. He had two conference calls lined up first thing and he wanted to be ready for them. Then he was moving for a face-to-face meeting with Damus.

That meant he needed to wake up first and no amount of hot stimulating local brews were helping. The sheer lack of sleep was getting to him, and his wife wasn’t much impressed either. His stress insomnia kept them both up at night, talking until he could eventually fall asleep, exhausted.

One of the first conference calls was for Damus’s counterparts, the other two legates, Julio and Varius.

Cassius needed to talk with them first, to gauge how they were working with their men to aid Roma. There was a huge list of small fights breaking out in the cities and surrounding areas. This wasn’t going to get easier. The reasons were simple: lack of food, nothing less. And the fallout would be felt for quite some time. The truth started to surface the day after the gardens had left. When Nerva’s message had spread, there had been nothing but uproar. Even Cassius talking to the people had made no difference. There were instant grabs for fresh produce in all areas. Without Julio and Varius to harness the legion and put a quick stop to the riots, there would have been chaos. No fresh food supply was coming into the open market. Panic, and quick, heavy price rises followed. And the projections from his NIAI and investigators around the system were getting worse.

Cassius heard the ping from his two other legates, and within a second he was looking at both of them while they reported back to him on the status of their legions around the cities. It was taking more and more resources to keep the peace. Using more resources meant they needed more supplies. This was costing Roma a small fortune.

Cassius went through their reports and made mental notes. They needed to organize a better plan of action, bring in more food supplies from other sources. He just wasn’t sure from where or who he trusted. This was the biggest problem. There would be no fighting in the streets while he was emperor.

Calling in for Damus, he checked that everything was on time, and for the first time in a long time, he made his way out of his office. Damus had arrived.

Working his way through to the shuttle area, Cassius knew the subject he would broach, and that was the main reason for this face-to-face. Cassius noted Damus’s guard and turned away from them to greet only him. “Damus, good to see you, even if the circumstances could be much better.”

Damus greeted him with a respectful salute. Then, as Cassius drew in closer, he smiled. “I hadn’t expected this. Shall we move to your office?”

“No, I’ve spent all morning there. Let us walk through the gardens. I’ll have some refreshments brought out to us there.”

As they moved off, both sets of guards following kept at a good distance. Cassius knew they wouldn’t overhear anything, but were aware of the importance of such a meeting. They were trusted men and he didn’t worry.

“You’ve spoken with Julio and Fabius?” Damus asked. On Cassius’s nod, he continued. They both knew the stakes were high. “Reports from all over Roma are coming in. They’re struggling already with certain staple products. The more they struggle, the more they’re willing to go to war over things. So far Julio and Fabius are keeping the peace, yes, but it’s getting worse.”

“How long do you think we have?”

Damus paused. “With Ramesh also being under attack for so long, I am thinking now the supplies sitting in the warehouses are gone. Some may still come through on shuttles but they’ve been holding back. No matter the cash offers, it may only be a month or so before it blows up considerably. The Union and Roma will not cope.”

Cassius’s anger grew. “Held back is not good enough. I want all food stocks accounted for, all production accounted for, and all families to have access to staple goods, do you understand? There is no reason in hell I’m letting my people suffer from food shortages.”

Damus lowered his head. “Of course. We’re doing everything we can to protect Ramesh. Fabius’s forces close by were retasked and engaged the Maraukian forces with good results. I promise you they’ll be up and running again soon enough.”

Cassius was worried still it wasn’t going to be soon enough. They finally arrived at his garden’s secluded breakfast area. There were indeed already refreshments awaiting them.

Cassius watched as both sets of guards checked the area and were happy to leave them unhindered.

Cassius moved to the table and picked up a glass of fresh juice. The thought that somewhere, someone was hungry settled in deep.

“I believe we have done everything we can, Damus. We know who some of the rot are; we know what we need to cleanse them, but we can’t do it alone.”

Damus took a seat when Cassius pointed to it. “What are you suggesting we do? Ask the Victor Corp for leniency?”

“No.” Cassius looked back to the palace, then he pointed down below. “I believe it’s time we woke Legate Zedra and her legion.”

Cassius watched as the decision he’d been thinking on for some time settled into the mind of the legion’s main commander.

Cassius met his gaze, especially when he didn’t answer his revelation straight away. “This is between us. What are you thinking?”

Damus also looked to the palace. “That if you wake them, she’ll wipe the floor with us.”

Cassius nodded. “Not only us—everyone around us.”

“Is that what you want?”

“I believe a neutral party is what we need. I don’t want Roma to starve. Legate Zedra and the power she possesses—what they stand for—was at one point what every one of the senators stood for. Now they’re corrupt in more ways than even I know. These decisions that we want to make—that Roma needs—should not come from us.”

Damus took a piece of fruit from the table. “Yes, Emperor.”

Cassius sat down, drink in hand. “Then let us awaken her, and I will face what comes head on.”

“No,” Damus said. “We will face what comes.”

***

Legate Zedra felt herself coming around. The fogginess in her mind cleared. She had no idea how long she’d slept or what was going to be asked of her now, but that was her first thought.

As the fogginess cleared and she started to feel her body, the information also started to come in.

Reports, vid links, personal statements, and, more importantly, the request from the emperor. “Roma needs the Shadow Legion.”

She took in as much as she could, but it was a lot of information. Maraukians were sprouting up everywhere. Their barges seemingly used to be random, but now there were more and more of them. Breeding like assholes still, she thought.

Then she opened her eyes. The faces before her were not much different than she remembered, a little older, and something in their eyes concerned her. They looked calm, sure, but there was something...

The report on Nerva came through next and she saw Nerva’s speech as he left the legion. She swallowed and pushed herself upright, despite feeling wobbly. She stared straight into the eye of Felix Cassius. “What the fuck have you done?”

Cassius took a step back, allowing her room to move, to stand. “I...” He struggled for words, and she knew why.

“Coward! After everything your father went through, after everything he did to build Roma with Nerva and me by his side, and you’ve done this!” She threw her hands toward him and he cringed.

She didn’t understand who the Victor Corp was, but she could already see the power they held, and they had Nerva on their side. Not only that, but there were... She stopped the information feed, looking away from the now almost quivering man before her. She spoke clearly to Damus: “Get the rest of my legion on their feet. You’ve asked for our awakening, and it seems the quicker we act, the better.”

“What will you do?” Cassius asked.

“What will I do?” she spat, looking down at him even though they were of a similar height. “You have no ideas of your own on saving our people?”

Damus was the one who answered her. “There’s much we need to discuss, Zedra. Please, take some time to adjust while we wake the Shadow Legion.”

“I want them on their feet in an hour. The gardens still have room, correct?”

“Yes, Zedra,” Damus answered.

“Then make sure that this is broadcast on all stations. I want the senate to know what you’ve just done for Roma. At least you have that going for you.”

With that, Zedra pushed past the emperor. “I’ll be taking your office. I suggest you find somewhere else to hide while I sort out this colossal fuck-up.”

Chapter Twenty

VCF Avenger

Oort Cloud, Osdal System

6/3556

Aaron had spent most of his time in different meetings talking to the leadership of Osdal. They’d been prying into the kinds of people who ran the Victor Corporation and trying to get every piece of information out of him.

Aaron was open with them on most things that weren’t related to military movements. He knew Moretti’s intentions to draw some of these people to Osdal.

The Emarl system was vast and the Yard’s abilities were great with the skill schools and everything that seemed to be coming out of the ground.

The problem was that although the Yard had some mining capabilities, its abilities weren’t enough to deal with the current demand and they didn’t have many people who were asteroid miners. It would still be months until there were more miners with complete training heading out to the asteroid belts. It was a dangerous job, with help days or weeks away and no one around for miles.

It took a certain kind of person to deal with those mental strains.

The people of Osdal were not only used to those conditions, they knew how to set up a system to maximize the amount and quality of resources that they mined and refined. With them in the Emarl system, it was possible that they would actually be able to meet the Yard’s growing need for resources.

Today, Grild’s mind wasn’t on that as he looked at the VCF Avenger.

Over the last couple of weeks, they had worked to install their Alcubierre drive. The crew of the VCF Fernix had been hard at work upgrading the ship and helping out the engineers there.

They’d run tests and everything checked out.

Grild looked to Captain Marcelle on the main screen.

“Well, looks like we’re all ready to go.” Marcelle looked a hell of a lot better than when he had first woken up to Aaron’s unfamiliar face.

“Hope you have an uneventful journey,” Aaron said.

“See you in Emarl. I’ll grab you a beer.” Marcelle laughed and turned to his command staff. “Nav, let’s see just what our new drive can do.”

“Yes, sir,” the navigation officer said.

The ship moved forward before it disappeared from sight, the screen going blank.

“Well, there’s still plenty more to be done here,” Aaron said, silently wishing them well as he reviewed the meetings he had for later that day.

Chapter Twenty-One

Committee Meeting Room

Oort Cloud, Osdal System

7/3556

Felicia and the other members of the Osdal committee were all focused on the main screen.

One second, there was nothing there; the next, a ship appeared. The massive freighter took up the screen, with them needing to zoom out to see the entire ship.

“And that is the VCF Reclaimer,” Captain Grild said proudly.

“We’re being hailed by the freighter,” a communication tech said from their station as the freighter’s engines started up and it started to move through the Oort Cloud surrounding the system.

“Connect us,” Felicia said, taking control of the situation.

It wasn’t long until there was a woman looking back at them, with her flight crew around her.

“I should have known that you’d be lazing about here, Grild.” She grinned, crossing her legs.

“Captain Kemp, it is good to see you,” Grild said with a wry smile.

“One shipment of foodstuffs and other essentials ready and waiting,” Captain Kemp said, looking to Felicia.

“We’ve got more than enough room for it and we can get you loaded up with raw materials. And I think there are more than a few people who want to hitch a ride to check out this Emarl system.” Felicia smiled.

“Sounds like a plan to me. Unlike Grild, some of us work for our living,” Kemp said, unable to stop ribbing her fellow captain.

“Move to the fourth processing station and we should be able to get you unloaded and loaded quickly,” Johnny said from the side.

“Can do. Putting in the course. Good to meet you all,” Kemp said.

“Later, Kemp,” Grild said.

The channel was cut as the people in the room looked to one another.

They had been told that the other two freighters bound for their system would show up; they didn’t think that it would happen this quickly.

They had to make decisions, and fast.

Felicia looked at them all. They’d reviewed the information; if the Victor Corporation kept to what they had laid down, then it left a lot of room for the people in the Osdal system to not only settle but grow.

If the part about the mining ships on credit was real, then people wouldn’t need to work with the hand-me-down mining craft that they were currently running.

It was hard to get new craft and there were only a few shops that made new ships.

Before, they had been bought by the Osdal Conglomerate, modified with their kill switches, and then passed on to the people in-system. That way, it would be harder for them to fight back. It also gave them a greater control over the lives of the people in Osdal.

Those ship makers were all looking to move to the Emarl system, either to start up the same business there, or to join the Victor Corporation.

Felicia could feel it—they were on a precipice: they stayed here or charged forward.

She, for one, knew what she would do.

Her old bones might ache and the wrinkles had come in strength, but at heart she was a risk taker, an adventure seeker. No one who was an asteroid miner wasn’t.

Seems like Mark and Moretti weren’t blowing smoke. I wonder what the Emarl system has to offer?

***

She wasn’t the only one with thoughts toward the future, with the VCF Reclaimer appearing and heading to the processing station. Johnny Walker was thinking about his own future. He controlled three refining stations. The corporations wouldn’t let things continue as they had.

Johnny braced himself before he requested a call with an unknown number.

It was a few minutes before a blank screen appeared. A few moments later, it resolved into a groggy-looking Moretti.

“Hey, Johnny. How’s it going, old man?”

“Last time you weren’t as much of a talker.” Johnny smiled. Moretti looked as if he were only a couple of years older when they had last met, but Johnny was feeling every day of his advanced age.

“Well, I did have cryo,” Moretti said.

Johnny nodded in agreement.

They hadn’t known each other too well. After all, when they met, Moretti was on a mission with the members of the Triple-Twos. Though they had met many times, talking about different trades, the group had spent time with Johnny and created a friendship, even if they couldn’t tell the other everything.

They were fond memories to Johnny.

“I wanted to ask you something.” Johnny paused, as if trying to figure out just how to pose his question and proposal.

“Spit it out or else you might choke on the dentures,” Moretti said after a few moments.

“Seems that the others certainly had an effect on your behavior.” Johnny laughed. “All right, so I own three refinery stations. I was wondering if I could bring them to the Emarl system.”

“What?” Even Moretti was stunned by Johnny’s words.

“I want to strap my refineries to one of your freighters and take them to the Emarl system. I ran the numbers and looked it over—they’d fit. I just need to know what the cost would be and if you would let it go ahead.”

“It would take me some time to run the numbers but yeah, I think we can do that. Also, if you have people who are on your stations, you could charge them for the ride,” Moretti said, looking out for his friend as he knew that the cost of moving the three stations wouldn’t be small.

“Just let me know what your terms would be with me bringing them and what you would be willing to offer for the items I produce when we’re there,” Johnny said.

“Well, I don’t know a price for it off the top of my head. Though, if you bring them, you can put them where you want. You would run them. As long as they kept with the rules set forward by the Emarl system, that would be all good by us. Anything that you take in and anything that you put out would be your business. We would only look to seeing if you paid back the debt. I’ll be honest with you—we have some refining capability, but it isn’t much. We don’t have many miners either. If you were to come into the system then, well, it would kill dozens of birds with one stone.”

“You know that I think you’re losing the art of the deal.” Johnny laughed as Moretti gave away the weak points and strong points of the refinery moving to the Emarl system.

To others it might be foolish, but Johnny was warmed by it. He knew how Moretti kept his secrets; having him tell Johnny all of these things openly—it looked as if he valued their friendship highly, to this day.

“Honestly, Johnny, this would be massive to the Emarl system and would go a long way in allowing the system to be self-sufficient.”

There was little to no information coming from the Emarl system. Even the people from the VCF were tight-lipped and didn’t know what was going on there fully.

It was a big jump to make.

Johnny looked at Moretti, weighing his words and the person he was. “All right, fuck it. Let’s give it a shot. It’s better than waiting to die here.” Johnny smiled.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Palace Parade Ground

Hellenica

7/3556

Legate Damus now stood with Zedra, observing the parade ground. It had taken awhile for her to take in all the information she had to start making decisions, and then to begin to wake up some of her command for the Shadow Legion. Damus had taken this responsibility himself to accommodate them and help them adjust at his training facility.

Damus had been attentive to her, making sure she had everything she needed. The dressing down that the both of them had on her waking was enough to last him a lifetime. It reminded him so much of Nerva that he wondered what their relationship was like when they were both around. Being on the wrong side of either had him back in his training days, panicked over the stupidest thing he’d done as a captain and getting written up by the major at the time. Things and days past that he’d sooner never happen again.

Zedra held with her the same grace that Nerva did. You didn’t even need to know her rank or experience to understand she had that right way of walking, of commanding everyone around her.

“They’ve been doing well with your aid, thank you.”

“Technology has come a long way, but I admit watching them, I am learning just as much.”

Zedra eyed him carefully. “We may have been fighting different wars, but still wars all the same. It’s not something I would want to do, but for our people, if they have to go to war with those in better gear, then they’d take on anyone and everyone in our path.”

“I’ve never seen anyone take the challenge like you all have. You’re a credit to us, to Roma.”

“Thank you.”

Damus was a little taken aback by her thanks, but then when she moved, he followed. Of course he did. Cassius had let loose that the Shadow Legion had been woken, and instantly across Roma, without even a sniff of them, there had been an eerie settlement. There were no more fights in the streets, although the shortages were getting worse. It seemed even their names instilled change, fear of more repercussions.

For Damus, it was lack of response from Rimateus that worried him. He knew the man was up to no good, and that was something bad. He just needed more evidence, and more chances to nail him. With Zedra, he hoped those chances would come.

Chapter Twenty-Three

VCF Moby held in VCF Osdal

In Transit to Emarl System

8/3556

The fourth and final batch of Vanguard mergers had finished their training just last week. Those who hadn’t made it in the previous three training attempts had tried out. Some of them had made it; some of them hadn’t.

Now, altogether, there were two hundred of some of the meanest bastards on the VCF Osdal, assisting the other merger sectors.

The mergers had been organized into two understrength companies. They had turned back to using the EMF’s organizational command structure.

Mark was given the rank captain, though most of the troopers still called him Major Victor.

His company warrant officer was Evan Miles.

Ava led one of the companies, with Polwell as her company Warrant officer.

The other company was led by one of the new mergers but an old hand at war, Lieutenant Baz, with Rachel as his company warrant officer. Leading their platoons were Second Lieutenant Fussli, Warrant Officer McPherson, Second Lieutenant Ji, Warrant Officer Elgi, Second Lieutenant Watanabe, and Warrant Officer Drumm.

Then, under Lieutenant Ava’s command, she had Company Warrant Officer Polwell, Second Lieutenant Waters, Warrant Officer Kumar, Second Lieutenant Kacharovs—who everyone called Katch—Warrant Officer Lundy, Second Lieutenant Hahn, and Warrant Officer Fu.

This was the core of their leadership.

Dodger, who would have been the other lieutenant, bowed out. After the fighting on Ducharev, something had changed. He had seen many people die, too many in his time. The fact was that with the mergers’ abilities, it weighed on his mind too much. He wasn’t sure of his combat capabilities. As such, Mark had promoted him to a training position. Dodger would be in charge of training all new Vanguard mergers.

This was not some easy position. In fact, it would be much harder than the frontline units as the pressure would be on Dodger to make sure that the people who passed his course to become people of the Vanguard knew what they were getting into and that they were the very best.

Even with them all being part of the Vanguard, there was nothing that they could do other than train. So Mark had passed down the order. They were to help out with the other merger sectors until they reached Emarl system. When they got there, they’d be given new orders based on what needed to be done.

It looked for the coming future; they’d be just helpers rather than using their skills for any kind of warfare and destruction.

“Poppers, I heard that you got cleaning duty again!” Rei laughed as they crossed each other. Ava continued past them into the area that the Vanguard was living in.

They were still on the Moby but while the Osdal transported them, they could shut down the Moby’s reactors and work on all of her systems. At least one hundred mergers were working on the ship at any given time. Charles promised that it would be done in a month. Though he’d been saying that for some time now.

The problem was that once they did something, it wouldn’t take long until they figured out a better system. This kind of rapid advancement was crazy but it was also great.

They didn’t have the largest force, so they needed to use what they had to the extremes of its ability.

“No one can take a joke anymore,” Poppers complained.

“He replaced Goosen’s drink with oil,” Roberts yelled from the open doorway.

Ava shook her head. The Vanguard had come together really fast. They might be from different training groups but they were all well acquainted with one another.

“Dude, why the hell did you give him oil?” Rei asked.

“Well, he’s more machine than person, right? So damn smart but he didn’t know his drink wasn’t oil? Maybe he needs it!”

“We’re all machine and organic tossed together,” Roberts yelled.

“Yeah, so what? I have oil every Thursday!” Poppers said.

Even Ava made a disgusted face as she looked at the proud Poppers.

“Dude, there is no saving you,” Rei said.

Ava made it into one of the barracks where people were sleeping; others were working on their suits as if it were their prized possession.

“Mox! If you polish your goddamn armor one more time, I swear I’ll be able to see it!” Iaj yelled, throwing a shoe at Mox, who was working on his Pluto armor.

“Atten-tion!” Sergeant Wollowitz called out.

The people in the room stood up rapidly. A card game turned into shambles and Schmidt fell off his bed. Even with his new body, he had no coordination and couldn’t wake up fast enough.

He quickly recovered and stood at attention.

“Thank God you have a hard skull, Schmidt,” Ava said to the grins of the others. “At ease. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

The room relaxed as people went over to Schmidt.

“Dude, you were asleep, but you’ve got a computer in your brain—how the hell did you fall off the bed?”

“Well, I wasn’t merged, was I!” Schmidt complained.

Ava shook her head as the others in the room went about their business as usual. She might be in charge of half of them, but the atmosphere was relaxed instead of stiff.

Once they completed training, they were treated as equals. They followed Ava out of respect, not just because her rank was higher.

Ava moved through the cots. Some were watching television, others were talking about what they’d do with their next leave, or bitching about the shit that they were going through working for the other sectors or how they didn’t have a Pluto yet.

The armor was damned hard to make and was resource intensive. They simply didn’t have the resources to create the Pluto armor. Also, they needed anti-matter to power them and unless they built an anti-matter reactor—which, admittedly, sounded like a horrible idea aboard a moving freighter—they could only wait until they found a source of power.

Mark assured them that they would be able to generate anti-matter, but still there were a few science groups looking into different anti-matter generators to be made if needed.

All of the officers and warrant officers got their own rooms. Ava had now moved all of her belongings into Mark’s. After finishing a day making sets of the E-14, she just wanted to do nothing for some time—watch some TV, maybe get some food.

She had just got in when she got a message from her parents. She opened it and her eyes went wide.

Your mother just had emergency surgery—nothing to worry about! You now have two younger siblings and finally a little sister!

The message was from her father, Hael.

She quickly called him up. In her vision, a screen appeared with Hael on it, his expression filled with happiness.

“Ava!” He turned the screen over to show her mother, who looked tired as all hell but holding two little bundles to her chest that were weakly kicking around and trying to keep their eyes closed, fighting the sunlight that made it into the room.

“They’re adorable. Did everything go wrong? What was the emergency?” Ava asked.

“Everything is okay. I just went through emergency surgery to get them out as the medical professionals agreed that with the orientation of the twins there would likely be complications if we didn’t use surgery.”

Ava was relieved as she looked down at her new little brother and sister. She couldn’t help but smile looking at them. “They’re cute as hell.”

Thia laughed with her, just looking at the duo.

She made all kinds of noises, trying to attract their attention but nothing distracted them from trying to hide in their mother’s shirt.

She talked to her parents some, but she could see the tiredness in their expressions. “I’ll be back in a few months and we’ll have to get together,” Ava said.

“You bet, little one,” Hael said.

“I’m no—” Ava replied.

“You won’t be in my heart. I remember when you were this small as well!” Hael proudly boasted.

Thia shot him a look but didn’t reprimand him as a smile appeared on her face.

Traitor! Ava complained at seeing her mother’s expression.

“We’ll see you soon enough, Ava,” Thia said.

“Okay,” Ava said. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” Thia and Hael said as one. The channel cut as Ava returned to her and Mark’s room.

She frowned as some unfamiliar emotions started to appear. She moved to the bed, a complicated look on her face.

She hadn’t really thought of having children, and when she was told that she wouldn’t have any if she became a merger, she understood it. If she was to make that decision again, she would do it the exact same, to protect the man she loved and the people relying on her.

Though there was a part of her that couldn’t help but think what if. What if I didn’t become a merger, that this war wasn’t necessary? Would I have been able to just stay in Crisidium, having a nice life with a person I loved, raising children and spending my time looking over plans for expanding Crisidium, trade agreements, and planning out raiding parties?

Her life was so much more than that now. Though it felt as if she had lost something in getting where she was.

Life wasn’t simple; she couldn’t just sleep through it. This life she had picked—she needed to make decisions all the time, to choose her path; if the path wasn’t there, then she needed to carve it out herself.

It was freeing, but it was also stressful compared to what might have been.

The door opened as Mark walked in, a frown on his face. Their link across the network was much deeper than others and she had been unconsciously leaking her feelings out to him, making him come back and check on her.

She looked up, a lost look on her face.

His face softened as he seemed to leave the trooper and fighter side of himself at the door. His face was still rough and his features were hard, but she could read him like a book, see the love that lay behind those eyes.

They were worth it.

She stood up and hugged Mark. She didn’t say anything as he wrapped her up in his big arms. She took a deep breath and all of those worries and fears seemed to just ease away.

“You’re a better hugger,” Ava said.

Mark’s soft laugh made her hold on tighter.

“Well, I’ve been getting more practice.” Mark squeezed her a bit tighter again.

Hypotheticals, the maybes and what-ifs—that didn’t matter anymore. She might not be able to have children, but everything she had right now she needed to grab onto with both hands and not let go.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Refinery Seventy-Seven

Osdal System

8/3556

Johnny hadn’t expected Felicia to walk through his door so fast and so unannounced, but Carly was hot on her heels. His eyes widened as Carly threw a data chip before him. But he knew what it said. He understood by the look they were giving him.

“Very well played, well played indeed.” Felicia crossed her arms and grinned.

“Wouldn’t you if it was paying well and as easy?” He picked up the chip but didn’t do anything with it. He watched her face. He had already known her plans; without knowing them, he might not have been so forward with Moretti or with his move.

Carly pulled out her own chip, and displayed the contents for them to see. “One ticket to Emarl.”

Johnny sat down. This time he didn’t pace; he didn’t do anything but sit.

“It looks like everything is in motion.”

Carly laughed. “Don’t look so glum and I have to applaud you, taking the refineries themselves. Knowing that they’ll have employment with you putting your assets on the line. Really is putting your money where your mouth is.”

Johnny snorted but smiled at the compliment.

“Have you asked them Yet?” Felicia asked.

He actually hadn’t. All he’d done after his call with Moretti was start the move, start securing and moving all assets, along with the cargo and products he needed to help buy their way to Emarl. “I…” He struggled.

Felicia sat before him, rubbing her hand through her white hair. “We’re all leaving then?”

Carly’s lip curled into a small smile. “It seems that way.”

“Then we can tell them together,” Felicia said looking to the two others.

“But we can’t leave this system with nothing. There’s people who want to risk everything, who want to stay. They need a base and they need the opportunity to be able to support their families and those who also want to work with them.”

Johnny could see this. “We should make that united front more real. Address all our unique properties and offer them the choice. Sell off or melt down anything that we can’t take.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Emperor’s Residence

Roma, Hellenic System

8/3556

Cassius had given his office up gladly for Legate Zedra to go about her job. But the office he was now residing in wasn’t anywhere near as comfortable and it didn’t have the same view.

This meant he was looking out at the wrong side of the palace, too, and this frustrated him.

Julio and Fabius were still reporting in on a regular basis. Some of Zedra’s legion had already left the palace and had made their way in transport ships across the system. These were the first woken and her most trusted. Cassius had the opportunity to meet one of them. His name was Kaeso Galenus, and he’d taken an instant dislike to the man despite looking over his records. Cassius wasn’t supposed to like them, though; he had an instant dislike to Zedra but at least she had Roma in her heart.

His NIAI alerted him to an incoming message. Because Zedra didn’t have one, this was just simple. “Report to my office.”

He laughed. Her office? Then his thoughts turned darker. What if he was kicked out more permanently?

No, it wouldn’t happen.

Cassius stood and made his way through to the opposite side of the palace. There he met Damus, outside his door. “Going in?”

Damus nodded. “Yes.” He knocked.

When she called through, Cassius led the way in, and stood before his desk. She’d moved everything around, and although this upset him, he actually liked the new setup.

Zedra looked at the two of them. Her face didn’t give anything away and it seemed as though she were thinking before she spoke. “I believe there are systems in place that you can use to secure this office from any prying eyes and ears?”

Damus nodded to her. “When you took over, I made sure everything was secure. There have been no breaches.”

“Even from you?”

Cassius watched as his legate lowered his head. Was he about to admit spying on her?

“No, Legate. I have not breached your trust, nor would I.”

“Someone is watching this office,” she said. “I have been extremely careful in my research. I’ve worked closely with everyone that I had to, but yes, there’s someone who has access in here.”

Cassius looked to Damus. “There’s only one person whom I’d trust over everyone else and who would maybe have that type of surveillance.”

“Moretti,” they both said at the same time.

“Who is Moretti?” she asked. “I’d like to speak with him, now.”

Cassius moved to his desk. “May I?” Using his codes, he brought up the secure comms channel codes for Moretti and he dialed him in, not using his NIAI because Zedra couldn’t see.

“Moretti,” Cassius said. “Do you have some time for us?”

There was some shuffling about and then a clear voice came through for them all to hear. “Of course, Emperor. What do I owe the pleasure to?”

“I’d like to introduce to you to Legate Zedra of the Shadow Legion.”

Moretti’s face then appeared in the room as a full conference call between them began. “It’s my pleasure to meet you, Legate Zedra.”

“You’ve been the one with access to this room?”

“I have, but once I saw that Felix had left, I remained without.”

She looked to Cassius. “Everything I’m uncovering so far is simple stuff. Small power struggles within the senate. Mentions of Admiral Hesra and Rimateus are actually very minimal. However, there’s a lot of people pointing to this man right here.”

“To me?” Moretti said.

“Yes, but I know it’s not for the wrong reasons. I wanted you here so that I could confer. Now that I have your attention, would that be possible later on today?”

“Of course.”

“Then so be it. I wish to talk with Cassius and Damus first, then I will speak to you. Legate out.” She pushed the button she thought might end the comms call, but Cassius had to correct her. But the call ended a brief moment later.

“I am going to tell you what I’m going to do, and if you want to be a part of this, you must swear your allegiance to these plans.”

Cassius looked to her, then to Damus. A frown crossed Damus’s face but only for a brief moment. “Please continue,” Cassius said.

“I’ve reviewed everything, where the senate stands and the Union. I will help stabilize the Union, but only so that Emarl can get the help it truly deserves.”

Damus didn’t speak; he stared, and then the message came across to him, in private. “You want to do this, to save the Union?”

“I don’t want them warring over stupid things. If we get rid of the rot like we said, the Union will stabilize properly. There will be no more life lost. I do not want to go against the Victor Corp—you know this.”

Cassius glanced back to her; she was watching them, knowing they were talking.

“It’s all right,” she said. “I know you need to make this decision together. You have each other’s backs, that is clear. The other legates will follow you?”

Damus knew they would. “Julio and Fabius are loyal to the legion. They will.”

“And your answers then?”

“You have our full support.”

Zedra nodded. “Then we shall start to identify the cancer within before cutting it out.”

“You intend to kill them?” Cassius asked.

“Yes.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

The Yard

Ark Orbit, Emarl System

8/3556

No matter how much they seemed to do or organize, there was consistently something coming in from all over space.

Hall sat with his head deep in information city. It was a good thing he was used to managing large operations. This, however, was larger than most things he’d overseen in his life.

Comms chatter came in from Captain Archibald and he answered it, expecting good news. “Captain,” Hall said. “Report for me.”

“We’re just entering the outskirts of Sol’s systems. Contact with Dominguez and the Westerly Three Crew has so far been good. We should have more information as things start to move in the next day.”

It was good news and he’d be very glad to pass this onto Mark. He knew how much getting General Dominguez off that forsaken planet meant to him. It also meant they’d finally have no ties there, and everyone they needed would be heading here.

“Good news indeed, Captain. I’ll be waiting for you and Dominguez’s reports on the evac.”

“Yes, sir,” Archibald replied. “Once things are moving in the right direction, I’ll comm you.”

With VCF Hope arriving at its rally point outside of Sol, they could start the real procedures. Several more hits of information came his way and he reviewed each of them with care.

VCF Novum was a little behind on its schedule, but it was still within his requisites. They really needed them all to be there together, to leave together. Dominguez and her people were seasoned troopers; they all knew what they were getting into now. But, backup was a good thing. Moretti had informed him that there could be lots of repercussions in the area. There seemed to be a lot of ships moving about and they both worried over this bit of news.

Moretti came through on comms next for him. “No rest for the wicked,” he said on answering the call.

“Boy, you sure must have been wicked then.” M laughed.

“Do you have any news for me, or are you just spitting shit in my direction?”

Moretti got straight down to it. “Captain Austen’s been working on Promise’s upgrades and they are complete. And the people of Masoul are locked loaded and on their way.”

“All of them?”

“I don’t think there were many who stayed behind, maybe a few outback families who just didn’t want to budge.”

“What was the total count there?”

“Two point one million, give or take a four percent margin of error.”

This confused him. “What?”

“There’s no accounting for any pregnancies—that’s a guess that some of the population are carrying.”

“They’re still an asset, though, right?”

“Of course. Most of their military force and leaders I know personally.”

Coming from Moretti, that meant a lot. If he vouched for these men and women, then they were a high standard. “That’s all good to know. The amount of people descending on this system is unbelievable.”

“I’ve seen the numbers and the plans. Good job they’re not all turning up on the same day. Imagine that?”

Hall shook his head. At least arriving in different months it gave them all time to come around, be sent to where they could settle and set up homes. The people in the system now were preparing for all of this and it seemed they had everything scheduled well.

“Just let’s not throw them in at the deep end and have them come in early with some new tech. Okay?”

Moretti nodded. “Charles and his mergers are working on ways to get us about much quicker, but I don’t think it will be anytime soon. We’re good. If I hear anything else, or there’s information you need, I’ll comm again. M, out.”

Hall moved to get himself a drink before he settled in for some more work. He wanted to make sure that he knew where all the different inter-system freighters were. It was like connecting a large dot-to-dot, their routes and courses all plotted and showing on his screen in one huge 3D web.

He drank from his cup, and rubbed the back of his neck. Either he’d been sitting too long, or looking at the computer screen for too long. Tension headaches weren’t fun; he’d nip this one in the bud before it could get hold of him.

Displaying the freighters’ routes around him in a large 3D holo, Hall walked in and out of its spider-like threads, making sure each ship was on target. Everything looked good and his thoughts finally turned to getting some rest. He glanced to the clock, only to realize he’d been awake once more for over fifty-three hours straight. However, no sooner had he made his way to the door, when his comms went off once more. He let out a chuckle and went back to his desk.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Zalos Station

Orbiting Tricticus

8/3556

Pela had never expected this place to be so huge. Flying in was something else. There was no comparison to Malazar Skill School that catered for ten thousand students by the time she left. But this next place was a working facility, in space. Possibly over a hundred thousand people crewed in here, all living, breathing, and working together. It astounded her.

Ashaeed was with her, but even on the shuttle out he had to sit with his new section. They’d been split up and possibly wouldn’t see each other again. They did, after all, have different specialties, so this was expected. But it left a sour taste in her mouth. Everything and everyone was new.

At least she could take some comfort from the fact he would still be around.

The constant banter from the younger man came through her NIAI as they walked through the main hallway and out into the facility.

This was one of the largest stations that built and engineered equipment for their city, and it was also the first to allow trainees inside—trainees who were much younger than most of their staff, according to Ashaeed. Pela laughed at his rendition on their private channel of the ages of all the staff now facing them.

“Please follow your NIAI’s instructions and settle in your dorm rooms. There will be a short orientation upload, and tomorrow your first class on this facility’s health and safety.”

Pela frowned, and heard from Ashaeed, More health stuff! When can we dig in and see how this place really works and ticks! as the people around her started to move off in different directions.

Pela was disappointed. There were around forty new faces. Overall, probably not a lot to remember compared to the skill school, but Gondi had helped quite a bit with that.

The bouncing ball appeared in front of her and she followed it, winding her way in and out, until eventually, they stopped at a room. This wasn’t a dorm room either.

They glanced around at one another and stepped inside.

This wasn’t just any room.

“Please leave your belongings at the door, and move inside.” A woman’s voice carried through to them. “Today’s lesson for you starts here, and it starts together. I want you to look around at one another. These are going to be the people you’ll either move on with or fail with. There will be no in-between. This is your last stage. Understand?”

There were head nods and mumbles as everyone dropped their bag and moved to the center of the room.

Then sirens exploded around them and then amber flashing lights flickered in and out.

Some of the students around her seemed to freeze; they weren’t sure what to do. But Pela looked around, then saw what she needed: several control stations and designated sections to the plant’s facilities.

She looked to one of the guys next to her, and it almost seemed as if they clicked. He nodded toward them and together they sprinted for them. Three girls and two other young men were beside them. Together they seemed to connect, and Gondi started to fill her in.

“Multiple failures across section forty-two through fifty.”

Pela could see the issues straight away. She glanced to the young man at her side and started to key in numbers. It was as if they were just there, balancing the nature of the beast. The young man at her side saw what she was attempting, and started in with counter numbers he also designated to those around him. Every single person in the room was now working together.

The orange lights turned red, and the sirens grew louder. This didn’t faze her; she just knew she needed to work harder.

“Forty-two will turn critical in less than three minutes,” the boy to her side announced.

So, with a grin, she announced, “Then I’ll have it sorted in two and a half.”

He attempted a laugh, but continued to match her input speeds.

It was less than one minute later and Pela typed in the last of what she knew. There was one last blip from the siren and the lights flashed from red, back to orange.

Gondi prompted her. “It’s not over yet.”

“I know.” Pela moved slightly to her left so she could get readings from other sides of the plant. There were several things that had happened to cause this reaction: stages of the job that someone hadn’t done, or had ignored for a reason. Had they just abandoned their posts? No, it was a test, surely.

When finally, the light turned from amber to green and then went out altogether, she breathed in and relaxed just slightly. Her eyes burned, and exhaustion swept through her.

“First time for everything, right?” Gondi said.

She looked to the young man standing by. “Nice job,” she said.

“I was just following your lead.” He took a step closer to her. “The name’s Lucus Bahr.” He grinned.

“Pela.” She shook his hand.

A clapping ensued around them, and they turned to see a tall, lithe, older woman walking their way. “Well done,” she said. “Together, you just saved this side of the facility.”

Pela blushed and the woman continued. This time, she waved a hand and everyone in the room felt comfortable in moving in closer. “We wouldn’t be Victor Corp if we didn’t make sure the Tier One candidates in here were up to scratch. It’s been a long day for you, though I do expect you’re now on a high. This time, your NIAIs will show you to your rooms. What I’d like from you before the morning is for you to work with those closest to you today, talk about what you could and should have done better.”

Pela’s stomach churned. Wasn’t what they did up to standard?

She glanced to Lucus, and he lowered his eyes. “Shall we?” she said. And together they all followed the bouncing balls, to their real dorm.

It was a similarly styled room to what was over at the skill school. But there was more space, and a much better bathroom facility. The first thing she did was throw her gear on a bed and then go for a shower. She wanted in before anyone else.

Freshly washed and with wet hair, she found Lucus to be moving in across from her. Now, after all the action, she noticed he had a limp. Didn’t seem that way when he was pelting it across the room toward the computer stations.

“You want to grab some food and go over what we did back there?” she called to him.

Lucus glanced over at her, nodded and picked up a jacket. Groups of others were sitting about and talking; some had already left the dorms when she’d come out of the bathroom.

It was a long walk to one of the dining facilities, and at this time of night, it was only an automated system. But she picked out some sandwiches and snacks for herself, then a hot drink. Finding a quiet spot, she waited for Lucus to join her.

“You really think we weren’t good enough?” he asked.

Pela frowned, remembering the sequence of events, and what they’d all been doing to stop the event from occurring. “No, I don’t think we weren’t good enough. I think we could improve, though, and that’s what this task is for, right? Talking and getting to know what you’re capable of and what those around you can do is very important. Today we just reacted. Those reactions were correct, but in looking them over, and the sequences we used, maybe we could find a better solution or a way to do it faster.”

He started to eat and nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”

That made Pela smile and as they started to really dig into the codes and sequences she and they used, on the whole, they formed a better way to react, a quicker and more effective solution. By the time they’d finished talking and Lucus yawned, Pela looked up and around her. They were the only ones left. She checked the time. “I think we’d better get some sleep.”

Lucus’s face fell. “We’ve been talking for hours. I’d no idea. Yes, we should sleep. Gotta be back up in four.”

She noticed there were several messages from Ashaeed, but she had no heart to answer. She promised herself she would in the morning.

Putting their trays and cups aside, they walked back. Pela fell into her bunk and slept like she’d never had before.

Space was exhausting.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

VCF Navis

Oort Cloud, Osdal System

9/3556

Captain Shauny of the VCF Navis waited for confirmation from Johnny to verify that all their goods were ready.

Johnny had been very hard to get hold of and this was frustrating Shauny to no end. Finally, he’d managed to get a hold of one of his people. She went by the name of Carly Lawrence and he’d instantly taken a liking to her, older woman or not. She had an air of grace about her, and their banter was fun, friendly.

“Carly,” Shauny beamed at her, “how are things?”

Carly wasn’t usually one for messing about but today she seemed distant. “I’m all right. Are you in our system already?”

She should have known that surely, but he backed off just a little. “Of course. We’re right on schedule. What’s got you all confused, ma’am?”

Carly then looked at him and she focused. “I’m sorry, but there’s a lot going on around here at the moment. You might see more than you should when you dock with the cloud.”

He was instantly on the defensive. “What do you mean? Come on, you can tell me.”

But she didn’t divulge any more information, so that meant he would have to go digging by himself. He wasn’t the only one around here who could. His good friend Moretti would have more than enough inside info on what was going on that he would know as soon as he called him.

“All the goods are ready and we’re just waiting for you,” she replied. “As soon as you have that ETA, we’ll get you sorted, don’t worry.”

But he couldn’t help it. Putting that fear aside didn’t last long. By the time the VCF was in their airspace and he could see that they had his shipments ready, he could also see a hell of a lot more.

Finding her comms once more and securing a network to Carly had been almost impossible.

“I don’t know what you’re telling the people of Osdal, but from up here, it looks like you’re preparing to leave?”

She let out a sigh, and looked at him with the expression of a woman who’d resigned herself to her fate. “Yes, most of us are leaving. You’re making your journey to the Emarl system with goods that they’re needing right now. Well, we’re bringing a hell of a lot more of what they need right now.”

“The frigging refineries?”

“Exactly.” Carly’s eyes gleamed, but he could see her exhaustion. “We’re leaving. There’s much more we can do for the Victor Corp with what we’re carrying, and they know it. This isn’t without a price. The people who are staying know the odds. They’ve one hell of a time to get their business up and running. They’ve got to get their own goods, their own fabbers and start production. It’s not down to us.”

“But they’ll be okay, right?”

“For the most part, yes, they will. They’ll survive because they know the trade from us. They might not have everything that we do, and it will take time, but they know how to get it, and they can. I fully believe they’ve got the best chances or I wouldn’t be going.”

“You’re doing this because of...a lost love?” He wasn’t stupid; he could see it in her face. Then she blushed and gave it away. “Carly,” he said. “Life’s too damned short, even with us living beyond two hundred. Go get him. If he’s got your attention, he must be something else.”

She flushed all the more, nodded and simply said, “Thank you.” Then she was gone.

It left Captain Shauny with nothing else to do but collect his goods and move on. Though he did it knowing that he might at least see her in Emarl. That was worth every bit of his conscious mind, and eventually he left for Emarl with a smile on his face and his coffers overflowing with goods and the funds to carry them.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

VCF Hope

Outside of Sol System

9/3556

Captain Archibald checked the reports.

“Well, they should be here any minute, sir,” his navigation officer and brother-in-law Dodson said.

“I know,” Archibald said.

With the Victor Corporation, they were allowed to bring their families aboard their freighters. This meant that they would have been able to have an actual life together, seeing different star systems and when they were moving in between them on sub-light engines. With the Alcubierre drives, it meant that they could actually put down roots somewhere and Archibald could see his wife when they were docked in the Emarl system.

Though they never got to the Emarl system. Once they reached Masoul, they had turned back and headed for Sol once again.

It was while they were en route that they were given new orders. They were no longer told to keep trading with the Sol system. Instead, they were to carry out a rescue mission.

All of their families were still aboard, which was nerve-racking, and why they had been working with the class-one fabber that they had so much. They’d created two class-two fabbers and started manufacturing missiles and launchers.

The VCF Hope already had some hidden security measures in her hull, but they didn’t know what they would be dealing with once they moved into Sol system.

There were two inter-system freighters positioning themselves so that they were ready to react and assist. They were much more maneuverable and they had a lot more firepower hiding underneath their coverings.

“We have incoming transit,” Dodson said as Archibald’s eyes snapped to the main screen.

Out from the nothingness, another VCF appeared. VCF Novum had turned around before reaching Masoul to assist in the evacuation.

“Hail them,” Archibald said.

“Archibald, yah old kook, what you up to?” Lela said with a great big smile on her face.

“Just waiting around for you. How are you looking? You ready for this?” Archibald asked.

“Ready as I’ll ever be. We’re just charging up the batteries again. That should take a few days and then we’ll be set to go.”

“Good. I’m sending you information on our combat capabilities and lift abilities.”

“Doing the same right back at you. You want to run lead?” Lela asked.

“I’m good for it, if you’re okay with it?”

“You’ve got more experience than me, Commander.” Lela smiled.

“You’re not too bad yourself.” Archibald smiled. He had been a flight commander in the EMF while Lela had only commanded a wing.

Lela snorted and shook her head, happy to get the awkward part out of the way.

“We’ll rest up for a week and then move to Sol. I’ll get in contact with higher up,” Archibald said.

“Understood. Time we took our people home.”

“Amen to that, sister,” Archibald agreed.

Chapter Thirty

Westerly Complex Three Crew Headquarters

Earth, Sol System

9/3556

“Dominguez!” Mark’s voice rang in her ears.

“Come on, dude! I’m busy here. Can you stop just forcing a damn connection in the back of my head?” Dominguez growled.

“Calm down there, fireplug. I have good news. News in the shape of two VCF mega freighters. Hope and Novum have just linked up. They’ve been busy getting their freighters ready to deal with threats, but it’s going to be on you and your people to get up to them. I’m giving control over them and the other inter-system freighters over to you,” Mark said.

“Never one with the easy requests,” Dominguez muttered even as she started to send off messages to her people.

“How are things?” Mark asked.

Dominguez knew he had been up to date with the reports, but she also knew that hearing it from the person on the ground was much better than some bland report.

“Trina, get our people ready to move. We’ve got a two-week deadline. Start pooling together the gear and I want everyone with Defender Armor ready to move. Artillery packs ready if they’re needed and combat shuttles ready to move. We will only tell the greenhouses what’s going on when the ships are entering orbit,” Dominguez said to her second-in-command.

“Ma’am.” Trina smacked her fist to her chest and started sending messages through her NIAI.

“All right, people, let’s get moving. We have one shot—let’s not fuck it up. I want us ready on those charges to hit the mega towers The embeds better get those gangs all kinds of riled up.” Dominguez’s words struck hard and fast. The room fell into silence, all of them looking at their commander, their general with grim looks.

“Move it, troopers!” she barked.

They rushed to their new tasks.

“Right...you still there?” Dominguez asked, as if she had forgotten the big lunk on the other side of the call.

“Yes.” Mark sighed, used to the abuse.

“Right, good. Things on the ground. We’ve got more weapons and armor than we can shake our fists at. I’ve concentrated on drop-ships, artillery, and Defender Armor. Half of the force has the Defender Armor and all of the combat shuttles have been replaced by drop-ships. Got some artillery if we need it, but I hope to hell we don’t. I think that this is mostly going to be a fight in who owns the skies if the corporations put their nose into it.

“All other materials, instead of turning them into anything, we’ve been stockpiling and storing them in crates, something that we can use later. We’ve been buying up all of the items that you sent us. We’ve pulled in all of the families of the people who are part of the Westerly Three Complex Crew and we’ve contacted the greenhouses.

“Ever since I died—” Dominguez wasn’t able to keep all of the heat out of her voice. Good men and women had actually died in order to keep her alive. She didn’t miss how Phillips, by her side, gritted his teeth together. “The other gangs have been trying to push in on our territory, talking to the greenhouses and then also hitting our different fronts and businesses. We let them talk and watched to see which greenhouses were loyal and who were looking to move away.

“The loyal ones that Moretti vetted, we’ve been getting them ready to move. As well as some of the people who work for us. After I died, we didn’t show the Defender Armor again. It doesn’t seem that much information got back to the Luyten Conglomerate. It looks like they suspect that it was just a unit that was nearby and that there was a company strength instead of a platoon strength group of them nearby. Going to be a nasty surprise if someone actually tries to take over a compound and finds companies of Defender Armor waiting underneath.

“We’ve taken losses, but with the freighters coming, we’ll push back the enemy forces and get people loaded up. The gear is largely palletized already. It will take us fifteen hours to pull everything out from Earth. No stopping,” Dominguez said.

“Sounds like you’re going to have one hell of a fight on your hands,” Mark said.

“Yeah, once the other gangs hear that something is going on, they’re probably going to come swarming. We need to put them down and hard, show them what we’re about as we evacuate people to the freighters. Then we might be fighting the gangs and corporations.

“The gangs will piss off if we show enough strength. The corporations might mess around and they could even get the gangs to keep on attacking if they offer enough benefits.” Dominguez let out a sigh. She just hoped that the gangs would back off. If they did, then they would only have to worry about the corporations making a move themselves with their aerial forces or what they had in Earth’s orbit.

“You’ve got everything from M?” Mark asked.

“Yeah, we do. Hope it works,” Dominguez replied. M had sent them codes as well as information that served to make what Dominguez was calling her diversion. They could shut down nearly all of the weapon systems above Earth. Also, with his information, she had been able to embed some of her people in the different corporations that had the larger aerial fleets. If they made a move, they would be in for a rude surprise.

Knowing the battle that was to come, she hadn’t been wasting her time. The best battlefield was one that she had changed and modified beforehand.

“Luyten?” Mark asked.

“Leave them to me.” Dominguez’s words and eyes chilled. She looked to Phillips. They didn’t need to say anything. A killer would know another just with a gaze and these two—someone owed them a debt, and they wouldn’t stop until it was paid.

“Understood.” Mark didn’t try to talk them down from it; instead, his voice approved. “Make them pay and get out safe. We’ve got a long way to go still.”

“Yes, sir.”

Chapter Thirty-One

LMFC Righteous

Oort Cloud, Luyten System

10/3556

Admiral Karain looked at the long-range scans as several freighters appeared from nowhere. “Right on time. Let’s go greet them.”

They were outside of the Luyten system, just at the Oort Cloud. This was the final shipment that they would be receiving. Each of the freighters held parts for Alcubierre drives as well as out-of-date powered armor and weaponry.

This would be the biggest shipment yet.

The ships under Admiral Karain’s command altered their course and moved to intercept the ships coming in.

They were inter-system freighters that had been modified; their containers had been welded together, with metal paneling being compressed and strapped on to create armor while weapon systems were cut into the side of the containers and attached to new power systems.

They weren’t elegant but they had more firepower than an EMFC carrier using even the outdated weapon systems from the Roma Union.

There were twenty-three vessels altogether. Eighteen of them already had the telltale circular Alcubierre drives attached.

Karain couldn’t help but be jealous of the Union trader ships.

Even though they were workhorses, they were sleek in design, with much more powerful engines, increased container capacity, and their Alcubierre drives were much better than the ones that they had sold to the Luyten Conglomerate. They were put together better, probably in a shipyard instead of in the middle of space like with the Luyten fleet.

“We are being hailed by the lead freighter,” communications said.

“Accept their transmission.” Admiral Karain sat up, putting on her best business-like appearance. She was management from the Luyten Conglomerate; she knew that whoever commanded these ships and took down the rough forces in the Emarl system would reap great rewards.

Owning the only fleet of trading capable ships that had Alcubierre drives in Earth and Her Colonies would change the Luyten Conglomerate, making a bid to control Earth and Her Colonies viable.

With the Union, her eyes had been opened to just how small the power that the Luyten Conglomerate held.

She was now faced with the upper management of a Union-based trading company. With their power and wealth, it would be easy for them to take command of half of the EHC with little effort.

“Admiral Karain.” A woman wearing a fresh space suit that was as close fitting as a set of clothes looked up from what she was doing.

“Miss Edaral,” Admiral Karain greeted. “The lead ships are the ones without their Alcubierre drives and don’t have supplies aboard so they will be able to take on the goods.”

“Good. That will make things a lot easier,” Miss Edaral said in a bored tone, as if it were just another job to be completed. “I have been asked to confirm your plans.”

“Once we have taken aboard the goods, we will proceed under sub-light engines out of the system. We will mount the Alcubierre drives onto the ships that don’t have them. Once all of the ships have the drives, then we will use them to head toward the Emarl system at our best speed.

“While underway, we will be training our recruits with the supplies provided by the Belarix Trading Corporation,” Karain said, using the name of the shell company Tertius had shipped the items over with. It wasn’t directly connected to him and was only being used for this operation. It would be revealed by Senator Rimateus when he asserted more control that needed to be taken with trades between the EHC and Union, allowing greater tariffs and also allowing certain companies ways to avoid these tariffs, choking their competitors.

Admiral Karain knew a bit of these matters and the fact that the real trading company was the Qizata trading house, controlled by Tertius Hesra.

“Good.” Edaral’s word of approval carried greater meaning as she dragged it out, making it clear that this information shouldn’t be passed on. “I will have my shuttles start transporting the goods to you.”

“Understood. I can have my people help to move them to speed up the process.”

“Very well, though the Alcubierre parts can be laid out around the vessels and secured down. That will save unpacking them and placing them into the receiving ship’s storage.” Edaral was nothing if not economical in her actions.

“Understood. We’ll do as you say.” Admiral Karain nodded.

Shuttles flew from the different ships, moving rapidly between the different vessels; containers were removed and transferred. Their contents were pulled out and hauled into the ad-hoc warships while the massive Alcubierre drive parts were pulled out and placed around the vessel like a puzzle, locked in place with tow ropes.

Engineers started to get to work in hooking up the Alcubierre drive’s struts to ready-made holes. Their actions were well practiced now and they could easily assemble the drives.

It would still take a few weeks until they could use those Alcubierre drives. Then it would be a headlong rush toward the Emarl system.

Admiral Karain looked over her different information feeds. Recruits were being trained all over the ship in different tasks. They had all passed elementary training to make sure that they wouldn’t be useless in the coming battles. Now they were being taught everything about the retired weapons and armor, as well as simulating attacks on different vital points of the Emarl system, from the Yard to the population strongholds on Tricticus.

She checked on progress reports. To her, it was no different than if she were reading quarterly reports on personnel’s progress: those who had performed poorly, those who looked as though they had potential, or their loyalty to the corporation or whether they were having thoughts of leaving.

All of their plans were coming together. When reviewing the information on the dilapidated and backward Emarl system, she felt confident of her fleet and the ground fighting forces.

It’s so easy to just change the viewing software and to cut off outside communication. They won’t even know who they’re fighting. Karain sneered in her heart at these idiots. None of them knew the truth. They’d walk dumb, blind, and stupid into battles against the people who had fought to save EHC from the Harmony Forces.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Luyten Conglomerate Headquarters

Earth, Sol System

10/3556

There was a knock on operations manager Khan’s door.

“Come in.” Khan looked over his glasses at the woman entering. He didn’t need the glasses, but he used them as an instrument in his business life and they had the ability to lighten or make the situation serious in a moment.

Thus he kept them throughout his career, which had led him to the position of operations manager.

“Sir, we have picked up two mega freighters entering the system and it looks as if they have Alcubierre drives,” the aide said as she entered the room.

Khan waved his hand, bringing her closer. He took the tablet from her and went through the information. We should take this to Mister Fai. Khan didn’t like his new boss. Mister Fai had been a resource manager, working with the gangs and other black contacts. With the recent assassination of Dominguez, the leader of the Westerly Three Complex Crew, he had risen quickly and eventually become Khan’s boss.

The man was crude. Even if he tried to play the part of someone of his new social status, it came off as cheap.

Still, Khan knew that keeping this kind of information from him could only lead to future issues. He stood and quickly moved from his office, taking different elevators to a quieter floor that was taken over by massive offices. It didn’t take him long to reach Mister Fai’s.

The male receptionist looked up at Khan. “Mister Fai is in a meeting right now,” the receptionist said.

Khan looked around and activated a noise-cancelling widget. “I have come to report mega freighters appearing outside the system. It looks like they are from the Victor Corporation and they have Alcubierre drives.”

The receptionist’s eyebrows climbed as he quickly stood. “I will check with him.” The man moved to Mister Fai’s office door. He knocked on it but there was no response from inside.

The receptionist then moved to his computer and sent a message. A few moments later, he called inside.

“Is something wrong?” Khan asked.

“I’m not sure,” the receptionist said.

After ten minutes, the receptionist took out a key and manually unlocked the room. He let out a startled scream and fell backward, pedaling on the carpet.

Khan didn’t know what was wrong and moved to the doorway. Inside, there was Mister Fai. Or what was left of him. There was a hole in his head and the back of his skull on the window behind him looking over Mega City.

***

Dominguez looked to Phillips as he adjusted his business suit. Dominguez activated a sound-cancelling device. Everyone used them in the corporate world so it wasn’t odd.

She saw another entry team and gave them a barely perceptible nod. “How did it go?” Dominguez asked.

“Fai is dead,” Phillips said.

“Good,” Dominguez replied as they entered a conference room, their operatives moving to join as different staffs.

She moved her shoulders, adjusting the armor underneath her clothes.

An alarm went off somewhere as people looked up.

“Take them down,” Dominguez said, knowing that they had been made. Blades appeared in her hands as she stabbed a woman and a man next to her in the neck. They fell, not knowing what happened; she threw another blade and hit a guard in the chest.

The Westerly Three Complex Crew operatives pulled out their weapons, their faces cold as they cut down the people inside the conference room.

Aides and middle management screamed and dropped to the ground as the heads of the conglomerate that had joined in holographic form dropped dead at their remote locations, the operatives there getting to work.

An explosion shook the tower, then another and another as long-range communications systems and armories were taken out.

Dominguez pulled out a pistol from her under-the-shoulder holster, double-tapping a man who nearly made it to the exit. Another ran for the door after him but Dominguez let him go. The first had sent down orders to attack the Westerly Three Complex Crew. The second was just some aide. They weren’t here to kill innocents, just those who wished to attack them and behead the beast.

The trooper-trained gang members tombstone-tapped their targets, making sure that they wouldn’t be getting up. As they confirmed their targets were down, a flash of green lights appeared in Dominguez’s HUD.

“All right, let’s get out of here.” Dominguez and the others put their weapons away. Their cold looks turned into screams as they started running with the other panicked people, using them as cover.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Senator Rimateus’s Estate

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3556

“There was an attack on the Luyten Conglomerate?” Rimateus repeated the words just relayed to him by his NIAI.

The last couple of months had been good to him. It looked as if the emperor’s position was weakening, and he was using everything he could to try to show the people that their emperor had failed them, rolling food shortages and more as he drummed up support within the senate.

His home had been filled with different people who wanted to show him their support.

He happily took it all in. If he was to make a play for the seat of emperor, then he would need all of these people to push him higher. As long as he made it in their best interests, then the position was his already.

The power of the Union came from the senate, not from the emperor. Cassius was too weak to hold the position. He hadn’t even retaliated against Rimateus’s propaganda, which allowed him to become bolder and bring more people over to him.

The common people were slow to trust him after the smear campaign, as he was calling it. Slowly he was changing their minds.

If he could show them that he was a benevolent leader with stopping the fighting in Emarl and then taking on the task to help the people of the EHC to come out of their savage ways, then it would turn their opinion perfectly.

The fact that the Luyten Conglomerate’s headquarters had been attacked was worrying.

“That is not the only information. Two mega freighters from the Victor Corporation have appeared in the system and they’re heading for Earth.” His NIAI kept the good hits coming as Rimateus looked at the information.

“Has anyone taken responsibility for the attacks on the Luyten Conglomerate?”

“Yes, a company has—one of their competitors. After all, there has been a lot of infighting among the corporations on Earth after the fall of the Ministry of Intelligence.”

“Separately, they are two wild coincidences. Together—what does it mean? Someone knew that we were working with the conglomerate or are they attacking them after finding out that the conglomerate was the one that led the attacks?” Rimateus rubbed his chin as he thought aloud.

“We will need to secure our control over the conglomerate with the people we have made contact with in the Luyten system.” Rimateus was not one to leave out backup plans. If the conglomerate headquarters got cold feet, then he had been talking to people in the system who were more than willing to follow his orders.

“We knew that the Victor Corporation had a bunch of Alcubierre drives. It looks like they’ve been sending them out to the mega freighters to get them moving faster. It makes sense from an economics point of view. We know that they have gone to Masoul and Osdal already. We know that they modified one of their mega freighters in the Masoul system, taking millions of people with them, back to presumably the Emarl system.” Rimateus’s expression was grim.

There was some five million people aboard the Luyten Conglomerate fighting vessels that were headed to Emarl. It should be more than enough to suppress the population of the planet and the Yard. They also had a space-based weapon system, which could allow them to hit the planet from a distance to kill off entire cities or hammer the Yard at distance.

The Emarl system only had the Moby and a collection of freighters. Even if they were outfitted with weapon systems, they shouldn’t be enough. The VCF Promise would arrive three months before the Luyten forces.

He slowly went through all the information that he had on the Emarl system. There wasn’t anything there that could threaten the Luyten forces before the Yard. Then it was just filled with a bunch of workers who had retired from the EMF. They only had civilian freighters; they were large but they were all over the EHC space. Many of them would only get back to Emarl months before the Luyten forces. If they did know that Rimateus was aiming for them, then to upgrade them all, it would be a massive undertaking and they didn’t have the technology of the Union.

With just cobbled-together weapons based off what the EMF had, they wouldn’t even be able to penetrate the armor of the Luyten Conglomerate ships.

The more Rimateus read on, it seemed unless the Emarl system pulled out a miracle there didn’t look to be a way for them to get out of this situation.

“Keep me updated on the situation.” Rimateus dismissed his NIAI. His plans were well made and he needed to focus on the political moves he needed to make to capitalize on his victory.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Westerly Three Complex, Crew Headquarters

Earth, Sol System

10/3556

The operation against the Luyten Conglomerate had gone well, throwing it and all of the businesses that had grouped together under its banner into disarray.

The leaders were dead and people were fighting for the new positions.

At the same time, five other major conglomerates or partnerships found themselves under attack in the coming days.

The Westerly Three Complex Crew had thoroughly stirred up the different headquarters on Earth. With Moretti’s codes and information, it was easy for them to strike at the heart of these different groups.

The chaos continued on as the corporations, sensing blood in the water, started to attack one another through different means, turning their attention inward.

“The freighters will enter orbit in just three days. It’s time we got rid of some of this pressure. Trina, notify the Defender Armor units. They’re to move into the defenses tonight. Have our scouts start hitting the gangs from the rear. Time we stirred up the slums a bit,” Dominguez said.

“Yes, ma’am,” Trina said.

The Westerly Three Complex Crew had been training up with the Defender Armor for months now. There were two forces’ worth of people in armor, some two hundred thousand trooper-trained individuals.

Now, with their new orders, the underground bases went to work.

Dominguez looked out of the command center windows as people donned their armor or moved into their different groups, getting their briefings. Those who were on alert moved to the elevators that shot them up toward the surface.

Hatches started opening in the different bases the Westerly Three Complex owned as drop-ship hangars were revealed underneath, with drop-ships ready to launch at a moment’s notice.

In hidden tunnels, the scout personnel, who were modeled after the groups that Tyler had trained, started to move around the gangs that had been attacking them.

A few of the bases were under attack, someone doing a drive-by on an armored truck with an old heavy machine gun firing at the wall.

They’d do this all times of the day, hit and runs.

The changes that the Westerly Three Complex Crew were going through weren’t missed as there was increased activity; they didn’t know what was happening internally.

Gangs started to arm themselves up. If the Westerly Three Complex Crew was falling apart, then, as the biggest dog in the slums, if they were to get a portion of the Westerly Three Complex Crew’s grounds, then their own gang’s standing would shoot up.

“Time to clean the rats out.” Dominguez turned to leave the command center. “’Bout time I got suited up.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

VCF Hope

Earth Orbit, Sol System

10/3556

“Looks like they’re still trying to get us to stop,” Archibald’s communications officer Murtle said.

“Oh, no more offers to buy us?” Archibald asked.

A number of the corporations had been asking whether they were interested in getting hired by another corporation. Their offers were incredible, offering everything under the sun as they wanted to get a hold of one of the Victor Corporation’s freighters and the Alcubierre drive. If they could get the ship and then reverse engineer the technology, then their companies would see a massive increase in value. If they could only get the ship to go between systems, the money made off trade alone would be incredible.

Archibald and Lela had entertained these offers as they moved in-system. It was a kind of cover, after all.

They had even filed to offload their wares on some of the stations around Earth to make it look less suspect. Even though they had both come at the same time.

Now it looked as if the corporations weren’t willing to play any more games. This was their system and they wanted to know what the two freighters were really doing here.

“We have customs patrol boats headed for us, telling us to stop moving or they will open fire,” Murtle said.

“Very well. Weapons, be ready if needed. Navigation, keep us going. Make sure that everyone is suited up and in secure positions. I want the security team ready to repel boarders.” Many of them were from the EMF and they knew how to use a weapon, so they’d made a few sets of powered armor to give them some greater protection, along with weapons.

If the customs agents wanted to press their luck and try to board, they wouldn’t get a kind greeting.

We’re just three hours out from making orbit. Archibald looked over the information available to him.

“Dominguez says that she is ready to launch the first load if you want it,” Murtle said, looking to Archibald.

“Let’s be about it then. Sensors, keep a bead on those custom boats.”

“They’re firing over our bow,” Sensors reported.

“Well, fire back.” Archibald’s reply was calm and measured.

Dodson, who was at weapons, took a breath and nodded. “Yes, sir.” He flipped a cover off a switch underneath his console and then flicked a switch underneath.

Deep thuds could be heard as simple-looking containers on the Hope revealed the weapon systems inside.

Three missiles fired out of one of the containers as rail guns were run out, allowing them to fire in any direction.

The Novum’s containers blow-out panels were activated, revealing the weaponry underneath as they fired on the other customs boat.

The boats didn’t have any close-in defensive systems and were turned into flying scrap by the missiles as the freighters continued on their path.

“Well, that’s going to give a few people a shock. I want updates on the containers coming up. Get our tugs out there, ready to receive the containers,” Archibald said. Automated tugs exited the freighter as containers were systematically moved and clamped together, creating openings in the freighters for more containers to be slotted in.

Archibald looked at the sensor readings as the first drop-ships, holding a container underneath them, used acceleration rails, soared into the skies as their engines kicked in and pushed them to punch out of Earth’s atmosphere.

Across the Westerly Three Complex Crew bases, drop-ships seemed to shoot out of the ground while people looked on in confusion.

The people in the slums went to ground, feeling that something was up while people from different greenhouses gathered up their supplies and were picked up by drop-ships and flown back to the Westerly Three Complex Crew bases.

The exodus had started, but Archibald knew it wouldn’t be a quiet one.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Westerly Three Complex

Earth, Sol System

10/3556

Drop-ships headed up out into space as fast as possible. As soon as the launcher was free, another craft was loaded and shot out.

Drop-ships sped to pick up people who had made agreements with Dominguez as she passed word to more people to see whether they were willing to leave Earth behind or not.

Many of them agreed to and they were added to the list of people to be gathered up.

Her scouts were in the city, in different perches, watching for how the slums and other gangs reacted.

Soon enough, she got a response.

“We’ve got a bunch of trucks moving up on the main headquarters. Looks like it’s the Diesel Heads,” a scout reported in to the headquarters command staff. Their voice was calm as they relayed a video of the armored trucks racing through the slums, leaving behind trails of red dust.

“Artillery, I’ve got you some targets.” Dominguez turned to the artillery commander.

“Yes, ma’am.” They spoke into their headset but everyone could still hear them. “Artillery Park One Alpha, this is fire control command. I have new targets ready and waiting your bombardment. Sending you locations as they update. Relay to scout team. Once targets are confirmed, you are free to fire.”

“Fire control, this is Artillery Park One Alpha. Thank you for thinking of us. Orders confirmed and understood.”

The scouts and the artillery park commander talked to one another, firming up where the rounds would land.

On the main screen, suddenly dust clouds appeared as explosions rocked the ground, tearing apart buildings.

The artillery were using laser-guided shells that the scouts were aiming to strike the lead element of the Diesel Heads’ convoy. Rounds continued to hail down, coming at the rear of the convoy.

After just a few minutes, the members of the Diesel Heads had either fled into the slums on foot or in ones and twos, or they were part of the smoking ruin that lay in the slums.

“We’ve got Faceless heading for FOB Echo.” Another feed and another scout reported to the FOB but in the command center, they were linked to operations across Earth.

“Looks like everyone’s come out to play,” Dominguez said.

Phillips grunted beside her.

“We’ve got movement from the corporations.” Trina looked to Dominguez.

“What they bringing to the party?” Dominguez moved to her command table.

“Fucking wasps,” Trina spat.

Dominguez looked over to the group that was in command of the aerial forces.

The man there grabbed a microphone. “This is flight command. Be warned—there are wasps in the sky. You are cleared—weapons hot. Take the bastards out.”

Dominguez nodded. Things just became more complicated.

Wasps only operated inside a planet’s atmosphere, but they were fast little devils and they had at least heavy machine guns mounted on them. Some sported internal missile racks. They could only hold about two missiles, but it would only take one good hit to bring her drop-ships back down to the ground.

“I want the air defenses online and checked! None of them get close to a launch point!” Dominguez barked.

The battlefield was shifting once again.

The corporations wouldn’t get involved in what was happening in the slums, but seeing that there was a clear connection between the Westerly Three Complex Crew and the Victor Corporation, a corporation that could be a problem in the future, they wanted to get rid of them. There must be something useful on Earth if they were willing to send two of their mega freighters to retrieve it.

The corporations had a number of different weapons under their control. After the Harmony War, there had been a massive military production fad with people buying up all kinds of “protection.” With the recent hostile activities between the different corporations, they had been keeping them ready.

Now that a juicy opportunity had come, most of the corporations were allying with one another in order to deal with the Victor Corporation first. Afterward, they’d likely bargain or turn on one another to try to gain advantages, though they were sure that they didn’t want whatever the Victor Corporation was coming for to get off the planet.

They didn’t realize that the Victor Corporation was coming to gather their people and retreat from the Sol system.

Even if they said that, the corporations wouldn’t believe them.

So they would have to force their way out.

“Looks like there are some freighters and other ships that are looking to get in on the action. Archibald is asking for orders,” Trina said.

“Shoot them down. If it’s not ours and it comes into our area of operations, it shouldn’t be alive.” Dominguez’s voice held no mercy.

“Yes, General,” Trina said, getting back to work.

Dominguez continued to look at the different groups attacking her bases. “I’m taking command on the move. I’ll be up top.” Dominguez grabbed her helmet and pulled it on over her short hair. The helmet locked to her powered armor as she headed for the elevator.

Her security detail armored up as well, falling in time with her.

“Understood,” Trina yelled at her. She wasn’t a combat leader but a resource manager. She had been great at managing the different assets that they had and was a fair hand at military strategy, but Dominguez was a trooper first and foremost.

With her NIAI, she could continue organizing the battlefield while fighting.

They exited the armored area and jumped onto one of the waiting elevators. Personnel, drop-ships, containers: all of it was getting moved around. The underground base was a hive of activity.

Families of the Westerly Three Complex Crew went first. After all, it was less likely that they would find themselves under fire.

They were secured in the containers with life support systems. Once they were locked in place, the containers would link together, allowing them to pass from one to another. Till then, it was a bumpy ride up to the freighter.

The elevator stopped as it reached the headquarters base above ground. It was a series of four- and five-story tall buildings with a surrounding wall. It wasn’t the chaos that one might expect in the slums but had been laid out and built up by the troopers when they were defending Earth from the Harmony Forces.

It just happened that the Westerly Three Crew moved in before anyone could do anything and the troopers who had been fighting removed evidence of the base before all of the corporate types could find out about it.

None of them knew of the extensive underground renovations.

Artillery fired, but they were drowned out by the noise of a drop-ship with a full container shooting off into the sky, following the trail of ships arcing into the heavens.

Another drop-ship rolled in across the slum. Its cannons fired, sowing fire on a gang that was trying to get close to the base.

The drop-ship climbed and move to meet with a group of other drop-ships that were headed toward the nearer corporation-controlled cities where wasps were coming out of.

Anti-air defenses were pulled out from their dust covers.

Close-in defense systems were uncovered and checked as they spun up, looking into the skies for threats.

Strong points where the Westerly Three Complex Crew had been were changed out. The fatigue-wearing crew members headed below as the Defender Armor-wearing members checked the mounted weapons system, waiting for contact.

Dominguez looked over it all, seeing the flights of drop-ships that were moving to engage the wasps and the fights that were happening in the slums as different gangs met one another on their way to the Westerly Three Complex Crew bases.

The drop-ships and the wasps finally intersected one another. The wing formations split apart as chaos ensued. Missiles and rounds were traded back and forth. The wasps weren’t as heavily armored, but they were fast. Albeit not that deadly.

The drop-ships were more maneuverable than the combat shuttles, their armor and weapons greatly improved. They could shrug off direct missile and round hits as if they weren’t much. It was only if they were hit in a weakened area, like their engines or their air intakes, that they could be brought down.

Ships and debris crashed into the slums below as recovery teams were sent out to bring back the people and destroy the drop-ships.

The wasps might not be that deadly against the drop-ships but they got past them quickly enough and started to rake the bases.

Weapon mounts spat out rounds, filling the skies with rounds to cut down the wasps.

Quick rotating and firing defensive systems shot out ball bearings to tear apart the missiles that were launched. The explosions illuminated the sky and made many people duck as the blast wave rolled over them all.

Dominguez walked through it all, not worrying about it in the slightest as she moved up to the third floor of a building to look out over the slums.

People were evacuating away from the Westerly Three Complex that had closed their doors and bared their fangs.

“Looks like everyone is going for it.” Trina relayed a map to Dominguez, which showed the different gangs moving on the greenhouses.

They found the greenhouses but all research and everyone who worked there was gone.

Only those who had made deals with the other gangs were left behind.

Dominguez ducked as a wasp flew past the building, low and fast. Its cannons ripped into the walls of the building before running into a cone of defensive fire and exploding, raining down onto the slums below.

“We’ve got fifteen hours until we can get everyone out of here. I want platoons of Defender Armor out and moving in the slums, disrupting the other gangs. If they have left their hidey holes to attack us, then we hit them in their bases,” Dominguez said.

“Yes, General.” Trina passed on the word as Defender Armor units were reorganized and artillery retasked.

The artillery roared as all of the bases opened fire.

The gates opened as the different groups in Defender Armor moved out. Dominguez moved down to the first floor and moved out with one of the platoons to see how things were on the ground.

Phillips wasn’t pleased but he didn’t say anything, following behind his general.

With the armor, they were as fast as a car, faster in the slums where roads were hard to find and most people with cars had to run through different makeshift buildings to try to move forward.

Dominguez checked her rifle and moved with the fourth section of the platoon.

“Mission is to advance until we come into contact with the enemy. We’re to attack and disrupt. If targets of opportunity are found, we will be given new orders to hit those groups.” Their second lieutenant briefed them on the move.

They all sent back acknowledgement as they continued to move.

Drop-ships and wasps continued to fight in the skies but it was clear who the winner would be.

A wasp tried to escape above the platoon, only to have a drop-ship’s missile on its ass. It did what it could to try to escape but it didn’t have a chance. Its engines were blown out and the wreckage tumbled through a three-story building.

A wing of drop-ships rushed overhead, moving toward the gangs that were converging on them.

They’d prepared their battlefield well in advance. Nothing moved through the Westerly Three Complex without them knowing about it.

Over the last couple of months, they’d had to put up with attacks at all times of the day from random mortars and weapons fire to ambushes on their convoys. Westerly Three Complex Crew now wanted some of their own payback.

Don’t fuck with a trooper’s beauty sleep.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

VCF Hope

Earth Orbit, Sol System

10/3556

“Give them a shot across the bow.” Archibald looked to the tracks of the incoming containers.

The tugs had been busy; the containers that didn’t have anything useful were connected together off to the side.

The first drop-ship released its payload; a tug grabbed it and brought it toward the Novum. The drop-ships turned and poured power into its engines, pushing away from the freighters, cutting its momentum and heading back down toward the planet.

There were several positions where tugs were waiting, grabbing the released containers and connecting to them to the freighter before returning back to the hand-off point.

This continued again and again as the drop-ships cut and headed back toward Earth once again. There were thousands of containers to change hands.

The cannons on the Hope fired across the closest ship’s bow.

“They’re still coming and showing no signs of slowing down.” Steltson looked at her captain.

“Weapons, looks like you will be needed. Wait until they enter weapons range and then pummel them. I don’t want our people under threat at the hand-off point. Pass the word to Captain Lela.”

“Entering range,” Steltson said nearly twenty minutes later. “Firing solution is ready. Sending.”

The cannons up and down the port side of the ship opened fire. Accelerated rounds rushed across the engagement envelope. The ship started to change its trajectory, but it was fighting against Earth’s gravitational pull and they hadn’t built up any momentum. The entire ship was like a whale. The crew, who weren’t military trained, instead of reducing their profile, tilted up and away, exposing the underside of the ship.

The rounds slammed through the ship’s unarmored belly. The ship’s internals were torn apart, with secondary explosions going off. All readings of power from the ship died down.

Emergency ships started ejecting moments later, the ship dead in space as it went off on a wild trajectory.

“Clear our skies,” Archibald said as more ships were entering their weapons fire envelope. Their cannons opened fire as missiles streaked out to meet the drifting first ship.

It was met with the silent explosion of the two chemical warheads. They weren’t as powerful as nukes, but they tore the ship apart, turning it into a cluster of debris that would drift overhead.

Parts of the ship were drawn into Earth’s gravitational field.

“Did we really need to do that?” Dodson asked in Archibald’s ear.

“That ship was going to attack and try to board us. We just showed we won’t give them mercy. What do you think the people on the other side are going to think when they’re ordered to come close to us? Also, it was blocking our sensors. If I was the enemy, I would get behind it and use it as cover to bring another ship right overtop us,” Archibald said in calm and measured tones.

Dodson looked at Archibald in a new light. He was from the Yard and he had heard of Archibald’s exploits from others. He saw his cold ruthlessness here and the man who played with his children and doted on his sister. He finally connected the two different people together.

Dodson didn’t like it, but he would back his brother-in-law’s play.

The Hope and Novum showed that their weapons weren’t just for show as they opened fire on the ships that tried to get close to them at first.

Quickly, the ships tried to escape. Seeing their broken fellows, they didn’t want to simply waste their ships on a battle they couldn’t win.

Other ships started to move, these ones larger and bulkier, many of them personal transports for the higher-ups in different corporations. These were palaces with engines—palaces with protection so that the people inside couldn’t be threatened or kidnapped.

They didn’t hide their intentions as weapon systems were revealed and a few of them started to push out their mobile space fighters or armed shuttles.

“Looks like this party has just started. We will defeat them with a wall of fire. Steltson, I want waves of rounds and missiles on them. Flood their defenses and take them out. Request that some of the drop-ships stay for protection. We need to clear the skies to keep the handover point secure. I want drop-ships watching over the handover points and ready to provide defenses against any long-range attacks. The rest I want ready to protect our hulls from enemy fighters. Use our weapons fire as cover to get in among the enemy. Talk to the air commander on the ground and get them to organize the three different groups,” Archibald said. Being a combat shuttle commander, he knew the strengths of these craft and how to split them up to make the best use of their capabilities.

An answer came back just moments later.

“Air commander is getting them organized; has called them forces Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie,” the communications officer replied.

“Very well,” Archibald said. The map behind his eyes changed as his NIAI pulled the information and updated the symbols.

The drop-ships, instead of making their way back to Earth, moved into new positions, creating wings and defensive perimeters.

These crews might be using their ships for the first time but they had been training for months. They were ready for this.

It would take some time before those heavy hitter ships were in position, giving the drop-ships and the two mega freighters the opportunity to move into better positions. They couldn’t move too much; after all, they were still transferring containers the entire time.

Archibald’s eyes moved to the two freighters that were slowly moving to a new position. It looked as if no one noticed the two simple freighters that looked as though they were just trying to get out of battle.

This time, we rule the skies.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Westerly Three Complex

Earth, Sol System

10/3556

Dominguez heard that telltale crack and whiz of chemical-backed rounds off to the right side of the platoon.

“Contact!” a sergeant called out as his section came under fire. They marked the targets that had appeared. They were halfway through a square when they came under contact. The section fired at the attackers, a wall of fire pushing them back as they dashed forward into cover. Then, using fire and movement, they started to get into an extended line.

“Two Section, move to the buildings behind them and support Three Section. Three Section, move into better cover when you can. One Section and Support Section, move to flank the right and cut them down!” The second lieutenant snapped off orders, getting his people moving and reacting.

Dominguez and her protection detail were that support section. It would be their job to advance through the field of battle, clearing house by house and removing the attackers.

They jogged around the third section that were jumping upward, getting to the second and third floor of some buildings, then smashing through walls with their armor.

The rate of fire increased on the attackers, pinning them in place as the support section and one section kept their weapons up and moved through the buildings on the right side.

Using the buildings as cover, they started to spread out in a line, ready to advance on the enemy’s flank.

“Contact!” Phillips yelled as he set his feet and fired his repulsor from the standing position.

Rounds cut down the alleyway between buildings, cutting down five gang members who had been running toward them.

Dominguez dropped to her knee, slamming into a wall with her weapon up as she fired down the hall. “I’ve got long shot!”

“Rolling thunder—I’ll take lead. Riflemen, behind me to clear passageways!” Phillips said.

His repulsor was a mean round spitting machine, but it laid down a cone of fire. It was meant to saturate an area with rounds, not be an exact instrument. Dominguez could aim down the alleyway and hit targets accurately at range.

With Phillips advancing, he covered the front. The riflemen were there to rush down any alleyways they came across, covering them as they advanced.

As Phillips and his riflemen with the rest of the stack moved on, Dominguez felt someone pull her upward. She stood and lowered her rifle, falling into the third last position. Behind her, there were two repulsor gunners moving from cover to cover, checking the rear.

In close quarters, threats could come from everywhere so people scanned the buildings on either side, looking for targets.

“This is Warrant Phillips. We’ve come into contact with enemy forces. Looks like we’re not the only people thinking of flanking. Going to advance on an angle toward the enemy position so that we hopefully sweep all of them up. I advise checking the left flank and having a rearguard for the sections advancing on the enemy position.”

“Understood, Warrant. Sergeants, you hear that?”

Green lights appeared.

“Carry it out!”

Dominguez was pleased to see their reaction time as they adjusted their positions to cover their asses.

The net fell silent. Dominguez could hear the people moving around, their heavy footfalls and the scuffing noise in the red dust or their weapons moving as they covered any possible angle.

She could hear the weapons fire. Even though it was only a few buildings over, it sounded as if it were miles away.

She let out a cool breath and focused, making sure she didn’t tunnel, checking her arcs for threats.

She knew that hell would descend in just moments. But there were no thoughts of running away; instead, a flush of adrenaline made her heartbeat pick up as she gripped her rifle tighter, checked her information and focused her mind.

“Door,” one of the people in the stack said. They were pressing inward now, creating a line to advance into the enemy’s position.

People watched either side as a stack held to one side of the building, not at the door.

Rena, wearing Defender Armor, shook her head. “Fucking one door coming up.” She ran forward, building up momentum before slamming her shoulder into the wall. With a grunt, she went sailing through the red mud and metal sheeting wall with a resounding crash.

Those waiting outside rushed into the new “door.”

“Clear! Door right!” Eian said as Rena got off the floor.

Eian rushed forward and through the wall. The enemy would be expecting them to come through the door, so they went through the walls.

They proceeded forward, crashing through walls and clearing the houses and apartment buildings.

Dominguez followed behind, not allowed to be in the lead stack.

They exited the building into another alleyway and rushed into another building. People covered either side of the street.

Rena groaned as she made another entrance.

“Civs,” she said as they entered.

They filed in, finding a mother and daughter in a corner, both of them holding a pistol.

“Clear out.” Phillips pointed to the doorway with his repulsor.

The mother grabbed her daughter and they rushed out of the building.

Dominguez shook her head as they pushed forward.

“All right, we’re on the line,” Phillips said.

The whole process seemed to have taken hours, but it was only about seven minutes.

“Good! Firing line, be ready for friendlies walking across your front. Watch your fire!” the second lieutenant ordered.

“Right flank, advance!”

The two sections’ worth of people on the right flank moved forward toward the enemy.

One section’s advance fell on the apartment building that had been hammered by three and two section. The support section was past that, clearing anything that was behind the apartment building, including several low-lying buildings scattered about. The round and thrown-together structures were only two or three stories tall.

Dominguez and her people slammed open doors as they moved forward, crossing the open streets, talking and communicating to one another, covering one another as they advanced.

“Contact!” Eian yelled as he fired his rifle. Targets appeared in everyone’s view.

“Don’t punch up—keep spread out! There might be more out there.” Dominguez moved forward.

“Repulsors, get high!” Phillips used his power armor, jumping on top of the low-lying buildings to get a better vantage point.

Weapons opened up across their front as they advanced.

“Move in, fire teams,” Dominguez said, reacting to the fighting. “Covering!” Dominguez yelled to the person closest to her.

“Moving!” Pai rushed forward. In the Defender Armor, they got pretty far before they had to crouch down.

They were only twenty meters away from other members of their section who were under fire. But in an urban area, especially one as built up as the slums of Earth, even ten meters could be a world apart.

“Covering!” Pai yelled back.

Dominguez slammed through a restaurant, going through the back door and crashing through the counter. She reached the seating area, looking out at the tall buildings, garbage strewn about and a maze of alleyways between buildings.

“Covering!” Dominguez yelled.

Pai rushed out of the alleyway next to the building, heading forward toward a street that was split by a building, creating a Y intersection.

Dominguez picked up movement as people moved out from cover around the corner of a restaurant. She opened fire on them as her armor pinged them and updated the map in real-time.

A repulsor gunner with a bead opened fire on the group.

They didn’t stand a chance under that hail of rounds. Some of them tried to run or get cover but they were in shock, or not fast enough to escape the rounds.

Pai, hearing the rounds, had ducked into cover and looked over the area.

“Air support is incoming,” the second lieutenant said.

Fighting in the slums was hell, but at least they had support to make things easier.

The drop-ships’ main job was pushing containers up to the waiting freighters, so they had to be used sparingly for support missions and only when the enemy had been confirmed did they come out to assist.

“Moving,” Dominguez said.

“Covering,” Pai said.

She ran through the dirty plastic that had been cut in lengths, sliding up to the next building.

“Contact on the left flank!” a corporal called out as a new firefight broke out.

“We’ve got a platoon moving up on our right. They’ll move through and clear. I’m sending over people to support.” The second lieutenant sounded calm even as they were now in two different engagements.

Rounds struck the ground as missiles went off. Their drop-ship support had arrived.

The drop-ship appeared moments later, flying overhead. Its cannons blasted anything that looked like a threat.

The enemy forces that had been pinned down were cut down wholesale as the drop-ship relayed its sensor data to the combatants on the ground, highlighting buildings where the enemy gangs might possibly be.

Weapons fire targeted the drop-ship that sped up and shot out of the battlefield.

Their fire died down as the drop-ship banked around in a big arc. Chemtrails appeared under its wings.

Missiles struck an apartment building, tearing it and anything that was inside apart.

The people in the slums knew that a fight was happening and they had quickly evacuated. There was no mercy in the slums.

“Continue the advance,” the second lieutenant said.

The two sections rose up and pushed forward. Dominguez grouped together with others, forming a stack as they went close to one of the houses that had been marked.

Dominguez pulled out a charge and tossed it on the wall. She checked the others and detonated it.

The wall blew inward. Pai ran in before the debris had even finished falling.

His rifle barked as the next person ran in and then Dominguez. Her eyes moved with her rifle. Seeing a gang member round a door inside the building, she fired on him. Two rounds punched through his basic armor, dropping him to the ground. She scanned the area and moved away from the door.

“Door front!” Dominguez yelled as she looked about the room. Four more gang members were on the ground.

“Stack up!” Pai yelled. Once again they got on top of each other.

“Set!” the fourth person yelled and they moved forward.

“Right left,” Pai said.

“Understood,” Dominguez said from her position as second in the stack, moving her body slightly.

“Go!” Pai turned around the doorway to face the right as Dominguez did the same but for the left side.

“Exit, no doors,” Dominguez said.

Just as she did, she heard weapons fire from the other side.

Pai was firing on other contacts. Dominguez lowered and turned, coming to a knee on Pai’s side. Her weapon snapped up as she fired on the targets.

Pai let out a gurgling noise as he was hit. Dominguez shouldered them to the side, dropping them back in the room.

Those in the room dragged him to the side as another member moved into his position.

“Ready to advance!” Dominguez yelled. It was a broken-up area with seating of all kinds over the place. She fired her grenade launcher into the mess.

The weapons fire died down.

She rose up and grabbed the person’s drag tab on their back.

“Move forward!” Dominguez yelled.

They rushed forward, their weapons up. Dominguez moved her rifle around to the side to support as they moved to the opposite wall.

More ran after them as they stacked up on the wall nearest the open area.

“Open area, one left, report, one right,” Dominguez yelled.

“Understood,” the lead said.

“Set!” the fourth person said.

“Go!” Dominguez yelled. The first person swung around the corner.

“Short wall counter left!” Dominguez was right behind them, swinging right to see behind the wall on the right.

She fired a burst into the moving gang members. The second person moved behind her as there was no room on the left wall to move in.

The fourth person covered the hallway as the drop-ship sailed overhead, unleashing rounds on new targets that had appeared.

Dominguez was hit by a couple of rounds, but they hit her chest and magazines. Other than shocking her, they didn’t penetrate.

There was no movement in the cafeteria.

“Clear those counters! I’ll stay!” Dominguez watched the mess of a seating area. She grabbed a sensor ball from her hip and tossed it out, her gun in her shoulder the entire time.

The third member of the stack moved to the first as they cleared the counters; they took down one more gang member hiding there.

“Clear.”

“Move to the next door,” Dominguez said, remembering the other door in the hallway. “I’ll stay here as a link.” Dominguez tossed a table over as she covered the big double doors that led into the seating area.

“Understood.”

Dominguez watched on her HUD as the group moved down the hall and cleared the last room. It was a supply closet and there was no one there.

The group moved back into the room, with Dominguez ready to advance again. Dominguez checked on Pai’s status. “How is he looking?” she asked the trooper seeing to him.

“He’s okay for now, but we need to get him out of here. He caught a round to the lower neck, tore up his neck. I’ve got a tube helping him breathe right now. The nanites and his suit’s systems are helping him but he’s losing blood internally still.”

“Shit.” Dominguez got on the main channel back to the second lieutenant. “Top, this is support section. One of my people got a nasty hit. We need a med-evac.”

“Understood. You aren’t the only one. I have a med-evac coming down in the open area before the apartment. You’ll need to get him there. The evac is coming in ten minutes,” the second lieutenant said.

“Right.” Dominguez wanted to send someone with Pai, but she knew that Phillips didn’t want to have her at the front anyway. She could take Pai back to the med-evac point, take pressure off her security detail and they could continue fighting through the slums.

“We’ll be there,” she promised. “Get him on my back,” she said to the trooper tending to Pai.

“Got it.” Pai’s armor kept his neck, head, and back straight as the trooper magnetically locked his back to Dominguez’s.

She grunted, getting to her feet. “All right, keep advancing and clearing. I’ll be back soon.”

Dominguez moved to the door that they had entered through. She checked the outside as her NIAI gave her a route to the med-evac point.

She set off at a jog, her weapon up and ready in her shoulder as she moved. She ran through the alleyways and ducked under coverings as she jumped over the open sewers.

She crashed into a wall, using her body to take the impact. She pushed off with her shoulder and ran toward the evac point.

“Friendly coming in!” she yelled as she neared the troopers who were covering the square from the rooftops.

“Cleared!” a trooper yelled, shifting their aim off Dominguez and toward the rest of the city.

Fighting could be heard off in the distance. Artillery was nailing down positions and drop-ships were running in support. Explosions from the missiles could be heard as well as the heavy cannons that punched through enemy positions.

Dominguez got to the evac point as the drop-ship was coming in.

The buildings in the area had been blown away by the troopers to clear the landing zone.

There were three other wounded looking to board.

The ramp came down as the drop-ship was coming in to land. The troopers ran up the ramp with their loads before the drop-ship was even fully on the ground. Dominguez ran in after them. Troopers helped peel Pai from her back and get him locked into a stretcher on the drop-ship. The medics moved to check on them as the troopers ran off the craft.

The ramp was already going up as the drop-ship rose once again.

When minutes were the difference between living or dying, the drop-ship didn’t have time to stick around.

Dominguez moved to where a bunch of troopers congregated and pulled up information on her NIAI.

The platoons were out and disrupting the gangs’ advance, pinning them in place and bringing down the heavy guns and drop-ships on top of their heads as they advanced into contact again and again.

The artillery had leveled the gangs’ headquarters that had tried to attack the Westerly Three Complex Crew.

The slums were in chaos.

The wasps from the different cities were still trying to get the drop-ships, but they were running into a solid wall as roving wings of drop-ships covered the containers heading up. Still, they were taking losses here and there as some of the forces on the ground were sent on recover or destroy missions to get drop-ships or containers that had been hit and dropped to the ground.

With the Westerly Three Complex Crew hitting the gangs hard and fast, the gangs were off-balance and they didn’t have anywhere to return to. Seeing the destruction coming down on them, the morale of the gangs deteriorated as the “broken” Westerly Three Complex Crew charged out at them.

They weren’t Maraukians; they wanted to live. Facing the Westerly Three Complex Crew was a bad idea.

If they had waited to hit the gangs, then they would be surer of their victory. Hitting in a storm of action, even if the gangs were a threat, their people—unprepared and unsure—were in disarray.

Still, it was not without its losses. Fighting in close quarters was never fun. It needed high communication skills, and also knowing all of the people around you. Then there was no way to factor in what the enemy would do, where they would come out from or launch an attack from. You were fighting in a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree battlefield with only yourself and your support to rely on. As it had happened with the platoon she was embedded in, it was easy to see them getting cut off and hit from directions that they didn’t expect.

Though they had the training to deal with this and they had lived in the slums most of their lives, the gangs only had their own experiences and weren’t good working together. In urban combat, they might get a few hits in here and there but it wasn’t enough to stop or halt the advance.

The battle on the ground was going well, but the one in space had just started.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

VCF Novum

Earth Orbit, Sol System

10/3556

Lela waited on Archibald’s command. There were thirteen vessels in total that looked as though they wanted to go toe-to-toe with the freighters.

They had taken two hours to get themselves organized, moving so that they had a better position. This time wasn’t to be wasted as the drop-ship forces were built up around the freighters while other drop-ships moved from the Westerly Three Complex Crew bases and then hurtled back down toward the planet, hauling up containers that the automated tugs quickly slotted into place.

The anticipation was killing her as she could only watch the ships finally starting their approach.

Around them, fast craft had at least something that could act as a weapon.

“Let them come in closer, then we’ll shut the door on them,” Archibald said to Lela.

“Clear the skies,” Lela replied.

“Quite,” Archibald said with approval.

The freighter’s bellies were to Earth, where the drop-ships and tugs were trading containers. They were staggered one below the other to cover more of the space, their sides facing the thirteen ships.

“Well, looks like they don’t clear very well,” Lela said to herself as she checked the plot. The two inter-system freighters had gone around Earth in opposite directions, and were now drifting toward the flanks of the advancing ships.

The thirteen ships started to fire their weapons. They were meant to enter atmosphere and had most of their weapons facing forward. This gave them a smaller profile, but it also meant that they were coming head on into the bows of the freighters that could employ all of their cannons.

“Activate fire plan!” Archibald said.

The mega freighters started firing together. Cannons and missiles launched in waves, shaking their massive structures, even at the heart of the freighter where Lela was looking around her chair. Her NIAI linked her into an all-around view with information updates.

The mega freighters shot over and under one another; their shots linked up to make walls of rounds and missiles. It would be impossible to miss them all.

The drop-ships passed behind one of the volleys, speeding up as they accelerated hard.

The corporation ships fired their cannons and missiles in no kind of order. Not firing on one another could be said to be a good cooperation between the corporations.

Their weapons fire clashed in space, leading to silent but brilliant explosions. The VCF’s fire landed first; the cannon rounds were first, slamming into the ships as the wave of missiles came afterward.

The close-in defense systems that were still operational started firing on them, leading to explosions before they started igniting themselves. Their powerful blasts shook the ships and one took an explosion right on the nose. Its interior was opened up as the bow and its guns disappeared.

Rounds and missiles poured in down the length of the ship before its reactors and systems couldn’t take it anymore; the ship started to break apart, with the nuclear reactor burning through the ship.

Something ignited and created a small explosion. Then another ripped the ship apart and sent its shining parts across Earth’s atmosphere.

The light ships didn’t even survive being hit by those large rounds or some of the close explosions from the missiles.

The drop-ships came in like predators hiding behind the volleys of weapons fire that softened up the corporations’ forces.

Their weapons were already firing, trying to take out missiles before they passed through to the mega freighters.

At these ranges, it was practically tooth and nail in space, with little time to react to the other’s moves and attacks.

Drop-ships around the freighters and the containers handover point opened up with what they had to take down the remaining firepower that was aimed at them.

The rounds and missiles from the corporations’ vessels hit the freighters. They were shaken up; the containers were holed and a few of the weapon system holding units were torn apart.

Close-in defense systems worked together to mutually defeat the missiles. Only a handful got near enough to make the freighters shake slightly.

The cannons and the missiles launched continued to make the mega freighters shake as the input fire plan continued to throw out volley after massed volley of fire down the corporations’ ships’ throats.

The drop-ships descended from behind the volleys they’d been using for cover. Their missile pods lit up again and again as missile after missile peppered the corporations’ ships. Their cannons lanced holes down the sides of the craft.

Unlike the freighters, these ships were outfitted with rail guns from the start and punched deep into the corporations’ ships, tearing them up inside and punching holes through their pressurized areas.

A ship’s side blew out from multiple decks being pierced. The ship’s side blew outward as the true culprit was revealed; water that had been turned into ice came away with the hull.

“Looks like someone wanted a pool on their spaceship.” Lela shook her head.

The other corporation ships had some weapons on their sides but there weren’t many. They were trying to turn and fight the drop-ships, or do something. It was a tactical mess as they were getting smashed from one side by the mega freighters, then they had the drop-ships moving through their formations, raking them with fire before shooting off and another volley of fire coming in.

“Looks like our support has shown up,” Archibald said.

Lela shook in her seat as a missile too close for her liking went off. “Fucking nukes.” She swore, looking at her plot as the two freighters revealed their true colors. Panels blew away as cannons ran down the length of them. These freighters had been built with weapons in mind. Catching the corporation vessels in enfilade fire, they unleashed one volley before rotating to bring their other side to bear, firing. It then rotated around to fire the other side; one side reloaded when the other was firing, bringing down wave after wave on the corporation vessels, hitting them right in the side and rolling through them.

As ships lost their ability to maneuver, Earth was more than happy to claim them as gravity drew them down and away from the battlefield, into the fire of the drop-ships that were looking over the handover point.

Lela looked on as the corporations’ fragile alliance came apart and the crews tried to save themselves. But there was nowhere to go.

Ships ejected out life pods as they were rocked with explosions and hits.

The corporations’ ships, the fact they’d never fought in space before, the way that their ships were built to chase other ships instead of a stand-up battle and their inability to work together: they were small things but together they made huge holes that the Victor Corporation forces had taken advantage of.

It was a total defeat. Chaos and pandemonium ruled the ships as they were being torn apart.

“We hold the heavens, skies, and the ground. Now time to get the fuck out of here,” Archibald said.

“Four hours in. We have another eleven to go before we’re totally loaded,” Lela replied.

“Well, I hope they can speed things up. The more time that our enemies have to think of something, the more likely we are to get fucked,” Archibald said.

“We can move the drop-ships that were protecting the freighters and those attacking down to assist on the ground,” Lela suggested.

“See to it,” Archibald said.

Chapter Forty

Freighter 7-318

In Transit to Sacremon Actual

10/3556

Everything on their journey was going to plan. They had a full cargo bay and were due to reach the habitated planet Sacremon Actual in a few months. There was a lot of waiting around on this route, but he didn’t mind that for once. This was a nice break compared to the other routes.

While everything was ticking over for a change, he sat back and waited for the system to update his actual pathway in.

“Captain.” His communications officer spoke up, nodding over to the helm as well.

Captain Vayle looked toward his officer and raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“We’ve an interesting set of readings heading toward Sacremon. They just hit the system a few hours ago. They’re huge, whatever it is. Maybe an asteroid or tail end of a comet?”

“Pass it over. I’ll take a look,” Vayle said. But from the look of his officer, there was something else to this.

When the information came over, he read through it. There were four huge blots on their visual scans of the system. Thinking carefully, he brought up the databases and, working with his NIAI, he finally managed to track down what he needed.

“See if you can patch me through to the nearest carrier. In fact, just any carrier.”

“Captain?”

“They’re Maraukian barges, Adams. They’re in trouble, and they need to know.”

Captain Vayle ignored the “Fuck” that came from his comms officer, but all eyes turned to him when the carrier’s communications officer came on the line.

“This is the Dumle. Can we help you, Captain?”

“This is Captain Vayle of the Freighter 7-318. We’ve just come into the region for Sacremon and have scans of four Maraukian barges.”

There was silence over the comms and then another voice. “This is Captain Horalise. Please send your scan results over.”

“Of course, Captain.” Vayle indicated to his officer and within a moment, the young man replied with, “Package sent and received, sir.”

There were a good few minutes, and all Vayle could hear was the pounding of his own heart. They were a good distance from the main planetary systems for Sacremon itself. But he’d no doubts that these horrendous creatures were headed in for the kill. They were going for Sacremon itself.

“Captain Vayle, thank you. We can confirm that we have the Maraukian barges in our sensor range.”

Vayle stood and quickly made his way to his office at the back of the room. With a thought, he changed their comms channels and moved to a secure and private net. “What are you going to do, Captain?”

Horalise’s voice came across calm. But Vayle had no doubt in his mind that the man was panicking like mad. “I’m going to put out a major distress signal and hope the hell someone can help them. If those ships carry as many as they’re rumored to, without the backing of the legion or anyone, Sacremon is doomed. There’s no way for them to win against those monsters.”

Vayle stopped before his chair and plonked down into it, bringing up the images of the planet they were due to land on in less than a few months. “How many people are down there?”

“Approximately twelve million citizens, over the various cities. Maybe another few million in ships around the system and in mining facilities. If the Maraukians hit, most of them would be affected over the course of the incursion.”

“Can we do anything?” Vayle suddenly felt helpless, and for the sake of his own crew, he needed to make a decision. They had only two choices: to continue to Sacremon and land where the Maraukians weren’t, or to turn and head somewhere else, depending on their resources on board. They were in desperate need of some products, maybe some they couldn’t do without.

“No,” Horalise said. “There’s nothing you can do. If possible, reroute. You need to find a different system. Don’t come any closer. But, do help get the word out. There’s a lot of people who are going to suffer if they hit Sacremon. They’re the largest food store planet in this known system.”

That was it then—decision made. “Good luck, Captain.”

“Thank you, and good luck to you also.” Horalise cut the comms.

Vayle stayed still for a moment, contemplating what he was going to have to now tell his crew. They’d spent months waiting to get to Sacremon. There was not only a good payout on getting their cargo there, but some had family on the planet. It wasn’t going to go down well.

He exited his room, and sat back down in his chair on the bridge. “Adams, ship-wide comms please.”

Adams and all his bridge crew watched him with wide, expectant eyes.

“Attention please, this is your captain speaking. On discovering that alongside our landing on Sacremon, a Maraukian incursion will also be hitting the planet, it is with my deepest regret that I must make the decision for us to alter our course. This is not a decision I’ve come to lightly. We need to go about our job. Check in with all the resources. That’s all departments—full stock checks and equipment checks. I’ll keep you informed. Captain out.”

Adams and the others still watched him.

“Adams,” he said. “Get me comms links with anyone you can. We need to help them get reinforcements if possible, and if we can, just pass the word about. If Sacremon and its growing stations...”

He didn’t need to say anything else. His helmswoman let out a wail and all around the ship he knew this devastating news rocked them. For a moment, he had nothing to say; he let them grieve. Then he stood. “We’re not letting them down in turning away—we’re making sure that this story gets out. Now, let’s continue with our jobs. The people on board this ship depend on us.”

And with that, they went back to their jobs, focused, determined to survive while Sacremon would eventually fall.

***

The training sessions had ended early, and Ava made her way through the ship, not really looking for Mark, because he wasn’t hard to find with their connection. But she wanted to get herself together before she went to get something to eat. Hunger had been plaguing her for a few days, but she’d ignored it, not wanting the company of the other mergers; even the new ones inside the net sometimes bugged her. She needed space.

That was when she felt his rage. It had been something else to get closer to the man she’d fallen in love with but these crossings of emotions she found a little more than disturbing. Like the day she’d found out her mother had twins. There were so many ways that she tried to stop it, but it was too late. The bleed-through rate between them was almost a hundred percent, at least for her.

However, she’d never felt this before. This anger, and pain. Instantly she tracked his location and then she was running. Feet pounded the deck till she was outside where he was. She threw back the door and went in to see him; he turned to her, face red with anger and his fists so tight. Ava didn’t hesitate in moving to his side. She reached out to touch his face but he pulled back.

“What is it?”  With sadness, she opened up their side of the net, making sure he could feel the love she had for him. But it wasn’t enough; he stayed closed off. “Tell me,” she said. “You can tell me anything.”

Mark looked away. “The Maraukians are going to hit Sacremon.”

The shock hit her like it would have with any news like that. “They’re still attacking Ramesh, aren’t they?”

“As far as I know, yes. We’ve been struggling to get information, even with Moretti on the inside.” When he finally looked to her, his eyes were filled not only with anger, but pure remorse, pain so deep. “If they hit Sacremon—with no backup, they’re gone. That’s it—wiped out. They may put up a small fight, but they’re growing planets. They provide most of that part of space with goods.”

“How much do they supply?”

Mark lowered his head. “With things the way they are, the surrounding systems—if they can’t start up their own gardens, they’ll have no food within six months.”

“We’re too far out?” Now she understood. She reached out, tried to pull him to her, but it wasn’t working. Mark’s fists gripped even tighter and she watched as blood dripped to the floor. Not quite the kind of blood most people had, but the kind only they could shed. That which was part of everything they were: nanites and fluid.

He turned from her and pounded the wall, breaking through it as his anger manifested in something that was worse than anything.

“Mark.” Then she started to shout as his fists flew. There was so much rage inside this man that she had no idea how she could stop him.

Almost screaming at him, she finally reached out and grabbed hold of his arm. He swung around too fast and his fist stopped less than a centimeter from her face.

Mark paled, but Ava wouldn’t let him go, even as he tried to pull back to get away from her. “No, no you don’t!” she said. “Let me in. Let me deal with this, with you, together.”

Grappling with him so that she could wrap her arms around him, she remembered that day in training where he’d lost it once before, where Sarah had told her there were things only he could speak of.

“Mark,” she said. “Talk to me.”

“It’s like all that pain again. I can’t do this. I can’t cope with it anymore. The more we train, the more we fight them, the more we lose.” When his eyes locked with hers, the tears spilled over. “I can’t lose you like I lost her.”

The words stung. Of course she’d known he would have had other relationships, she wasn’t stupid, but the fact was he’d lost someone. In his mind, that meant he couldn’t love anymore. And he was worth that love; he was worth everything she could ever give him. Including her life.

“Mark.” She moved with him, letting that sting dissipate before he felt that through her emotions. “You’re not going to lose me, and we are fighting for all the right reasons. We can’t go through life without loving, without hurting. That’s what makes us unique. That’s what makes us human.”

“But we’re not!” He held up his hands to let her see the marks where his blood flowed from, the silver liquid as distinctly not human as it could be.

Ava reached up and tapped the side of his face. “Yes, we are. We’re human where it matters. Don’t forget that.”

But she could see this struggle was tougher than words. For the first time, she felt like she didn’t know him. “I’m not giving up on us, and I’m not giving up on any of our species. Come, let’s call an emergency meeting. We might not be able to do anything much for Sacremon, but we can help those around her.”

He seemed to teeter a moment. Then he moved with her, and that was all she needed.

Chapter Forty-One

Westerly Three Complex Crew Headquarters

Earth, Sol System

10/3556

Dominguez was looking over the different feeds. The command center was still filled with people but beyond the armored glass windows, the base was looking more and more deserted. The ships had been in orbit for twelve hours now; fighting stopped some six hours ago on the ground.

There were roving patrols of drop-ships and ground forces wearing Defender Armor.

The gangs seemed to have learned their lesson and they were standing back.

After all, it looked as though the Westerly Three Complex Crew was leaving Earth.

The smart ones were instead starting to fight those nearby to expand their territories, finishing off what the Westerly Three Complex Crew had started.

The corporations didn’t do anything in space anymore. They didn’t have anything to attack the ships up there with, unless they wanted to use the weapons on their buildings. Then, if the freighters fired back, it would be them personally under attack.

A number of the higher-ups had already fled Earth just in case anything did happen.

Forces were massing on Mars and the moon but they didn’t do anything. They hadn’t known about the two hidden freighters that were protecting the mega freighters. It had come to a sort of stand-still now.

Dominguez wasn’t at ease with it all. She could feel that there was something going on. She knew that the forces that surrounded them were thinking of something.

All of the Westerly Three Complex Crew’s families, the people from the greenhouses, and those specially recruited had been towed back up to the freighter.

Two-thirds of the fighting force that made up the Westerly Three Crew were up on the carriers as well.

Now they were hauling freighters filled with much-needed resources and technology, as well as Defender Armor-wearing troopers.

There was just a few thousand people remaining. Even the artillery parks were readying themselves to be packed up.

“Moretti is trying to open a channel to you,” her NIAI informed her.

“Let him through,” Dominguez said.

“Looks like Rimateus is flexing his might again. He got the corporations to react. They’re going to be pushing toward you soon. Looking at a force of a hundred and fifty thousand security guards, mercenaries, and various gangs coming down on the different Westerly Three Complex bases. They’ve got fast movers to bring them in close, from air to the ground. It looks like their last play. They’re getting ready now. You’ve got twenty minutes before the lead elements reach you,” Moretti warned as he passed her an information file.

His help was invaluable in knowing just what the other side was thinking. It allowed them to get a lead on enemy advancements, and, in many cases, when the enemy was going to try to charge down their necks.

Dominguez looked to the reports on the different forward-operating bases.

“Concentrate on pulling out our forces from the FOBs. I want half of their forces moved back to the main base. I want that artillery ready to pound the ever-living shit out of anything that comes into our AO,” Dominguez yelled.

The people in the command center who were tired from being on their feet for the better part of the day turned back on as they started passing out orders.

“Expect enemy forces coming in in ten minutes. I want drop-ship aerial coverage!” Dominguez yelled. “I want departing drop-ships loaded with containers and people as they’re leaving.”

It would take more time to get the people cross-loaded over to the freighter but it would increase how many they could take by nearly half.

Now they had the unloaded drop-ships, they could stuff them to the gills and pull everyone out and worry about the cross-loading later, as long as they were out of the battlefield.

The Westerly Three Complex Crew kept on shooting drop-ships into the heavens while Defender Armor-wearing troopers grabbed what rides they had and beelined it toward the main base. Behind them, the roads and the bridges that they used were destroyed so that the enemy would need to find another way.

Dominguez knew that there were still ways in by land, but her biggest threat was going to be people coming in through the air as they could come down anywhere and hit her.

She started to see the information coming in. Armored convoys and aerial ships came in at her from every direction, it seemed.

The corporations had really been stirred up by Rimateus.

Dominguez waved her hand as the holographically displayed command center disappeared. She moved to a door and opened it to reveal the darkness beyond. Her NIAI and Defender Armor made the night seem as if it were day as over the slums, she could see the ramshackle group of ships that were coming in low and fast so it was harder to see and pick them up on radar.

They were nothing but dots on the horizon, but she knew they’d get larger soon enough.

“Time to earn your pay, troopers!” Dominguez yelled. She turned to see the different weapon systems coming online, as well as the troopers manning them.

Explosions rocked the city as different charges were set off. The troopers consolidated on the main base. The first trucks started coming in just a few minutes later, weaving through the tight turns into the parking area.

Drop-ships were still landing, having a container clamped to them as they were refueled and taken into the underground base. Troopers loaded up into them before they were launched upward.

Dominguez grabbed onto the handholds into a gimbal-mounted anti-air system. She grabbed the twin controllers on either armrest and punched the power button on. Rounds were fed into the three guns as she rotated onto target.

The ships were still far out and coming in from every direction. There were wasps, combat shuttles, some armored variants bought out of a stylist’s catalogue, and others that had been cobbled together by the gangs.

The quiet artillery started to pick up, sending out sensor shells and painting targets.

“Pull back the scouts,” Dominguez said. The number of people continued to go down as they boarded containers or the drop-ships.

“Yes, General.” Trina sent out the orders, pulling the last remaining elements from the city.

If they had their full strength, they would be able to deal with this threat or at least be able to withdraw some of their forces. With their current numbers, it wasn’t possible anymore; their only choice was to get the hell out under fire, or not at all.

Drop-ships continued to fire out from the FOBs as quick as possible.

Dominguez looked to the streets where gangs and corporation types with all kinds of weapons, vehicles, and armor were pushing forward. These were all the forces under the control of the corporations that they’d been able to drum up.

Looks like they’re pissed that we’re flipping them the bird right on their doorstep.

“FOBs are cleared,” Trina said. It was fifteen minutes after they sent the warning out.

The FOBs in the distance started opening up with their automated weapons turrets. Surface-to-air missiles lit off, as well as machine guns. Drop-ships that had been in a holding pattern came in, raking the lead corporation elements.

“Artillery is cleared hot on any targets of opportunity. Same for drop-ship elements in holding pattern.” Dominguez continued to track the nearest targets that were closing in. They were still minutes away from engagement range, but they weren’t far enough away for the drop-ships and artillery.

The drop-ships picked out smaller groupings of ships. Diving from high altitude, they unloaded their missile racks, backing away and at speed. They couldn’t take them all on but they ruled the high altitudes.

Their missiles came in, meeting with defensive fire. But still, a few of them made it through, hitting the ships head on or close by, enough to send them diving into the ground below.

Artillery started to fall among the forces moving on the ground but it was just stones against a river: they kept on coming.

The FOBs lit up with weapons fire, the automated systems there lighting up the skies with tracers and missiles’ chem trails.

Even the defensive systems were still operational, defeating the incoming missiles.

The FOBs weren’t as effective as if there were humans manning its guns, but they still carved up ships in the skies.

It wasn’t enough.

“Here they come,” Dominguez’s NIAI registered as the ships came within range of the main base.

She lined up a larger shuttle and pulled down on both of her triggers as all four of her cannons fired.

Others inside the base opened up with their own weapons. Tracers created aiming points as the gunners brought them onto targets.

The beeping noise of a lock on was followed by the rush of a missile engine firing and a blast of air pushing against those nearby as missile after missile was launched.

The drop-ships came down from above, splitting well above the base as they raked the craft below with cannons and missiles.

The corporation ships that could fired back. Their rounds punched into the walls of the base, hitting people here and there as their missiles blew out sections of wall or gun emplacements.

Dominguez was rocked as cannon rounds stitched the floor below, followed with a set of missile reloads being struck and igniting.

She tilted her wrist to the side and then back, bringing the ship into focus as tens of rounds shot through the sky in a near solid stream, connecting with the shuttle’s cockpit.

The shuttle’s engines ramped up as it tilted upward, swinging into a loop before slamming into the ground in a fiery explosion that leveled nearby buildings.

Missiles fired beside her as the launcher found new targets. Three more ships went down but the corporation vessels coming in behind were already lowering their altitude, their ramps and doors opening.

It was one thing to fight the people in the air; if they got caught in ground combat, then people would need to be left behind.

“Artillery—danger close. I don’t want any of the bastards getting off their shuttles. Drop-ships, watch your angle of approach and departure—don’t want to wing you on your way in or out!” Dominguez yelled. Her gimbal moved, switching from target to target. She didn’t get every ship but she did damage to a lot of them, or put them off the idea of setting down.

“Drop-ships are on their way.” Archibald’s voice cut through the noise as Dominguez swung the gimbal around, leaving lines of tracers in the sky across the front of the oncoming ships.

She used one eye to watch her targets, the other watching as the drop-ships that had been covering the freighters turned and started diving for the surface in their wings.

Two hundred drop-ships, fully armed and ready for a fight. Multiple cracks could be heard as they broke through atmosphere and then the sound barrier as they raced toward the main base.

Dominguez didn’t let up on her fire. A missile hit the wall near her mount. The explosion ripped a hole in the wall and rocks were thrown everywhere. One unlucky bastard was hit off the roof while Dominguez was hit in the side with debris, hammering her armor and leaving her bruised but nothing worse than that.

The one who had fallen off the roof was okay, albeit swearing about the problems with gravity these days.

Dominguez didn’t have time to laugh as she tried to swing onto her next target. But she found her guns were jammed. “Fuck!” She grabbed onto a pull handle and cranked it backward, the actions on the cannon’s cycle as she drove the handle forward again and pulled the trigger.

“There we go! Fucking jam!” Dominguez berated her weapon system as she continued to fire into the sky.

Even with her shooting and the mass of fire, the ships continued to come down.

“We have forces breaking into the FOBs,” Trina said.

“Blow them if they get in too deep,” Dominguez ordered.

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Fuck the resources—just pull our people out now! We need to get off this rock and soon!”

“Understood. It will take twenty minutes,” Trina said, running the numbers.

“See to it! We don’t have long!”

Dominguez saw as a ship came over the base. It was cut down, turning to the side and slamming into a warren.

It went up in a massive explosion that shook even Dominguez.

“Pull back from the exterior defenses first!” Dominguez said. The drop-ship wings were coming down from the heavens, bringing their own version of pain with them.

“Fuckin’ show-offs! You might have the skies, but we have the ground!” Dominguez’s voice was sent to everyone in the base.

The troopers roared as they solidified their targets and dealt out as much destruction as possible.

The incoming forces were raked with artillery fire, missiles and cannon fire from above and from the bases as they bled, moving forward. There was still enough of them to gain an advantage and those on the ground were now getting into range.

Screamers tore through the slums and hit the Westerly Three Complex FOBs.

Weapons fire opened up on a rooftop on the main base, cutting down three as a higher roof moved in support, suppressing the enemy and pushing them back as the wounded and people on that roof evacuated back to a drop-ship.

They had less than ten thousand people in the main base now.

“Just ninety more drop-ships to go,” Dominguez said to herself as a missile rose out of nowhere. The sky defense system fired on it, but the shockwave tore at Dominguez and her weapon mount.

She was hurled against her straps. Feeling beaten, she started to check on the quad barrel anti-air cannon.

“System is no longer operational,” her NIAI helpfully informed her.

“Fuck.” Dominguez looked at the jacked-up angle she was at. “Fuck.”

She smacked the harness and tumbled out of the gun seat.

“Fucking ow!” She complained but got her ass up and checked on her rifle. She got into a half crouched, half running position and moved to one of the walls.

“Grab me an ammo box! I’m running low!” the gunner yelled, seeing someone nearby.

Dominguez slung her rifle and moved to a pile of ammunition, dragging two boxes back with her.

“Barrel change!” the gunner yelled.

Dominguez opened the ammunition box and dragged out the linked belt as the gunner cleared the gun and tossed the barrel to the side, grabbing another and slamming it into place before Dominguez fed the belt into the tray and slammed the tray cover down. They cocked the repulsor and started firing again.

“Back in!” they yelled.

A plume of dust shot up into the sky as one of the FOBs exploded. The charges that had been laid in the base blew the thing sky-high, taking out the bastards who tried to take it.

It wasn’t five minutes later that another FOB blew up.

Dominguez could see the forces advancing across the ground as more of the corporation ships did everything they could to drop their people off and then get the hell clear of the bases.

The drop-ships ruled the skies but they were fighting the outnumbering corporation ships and the quick moving wasps that they brought with them.

Screamers were now being used on the main base’s buildings and the wall.

“We’ve got breaches! Eight minutes!” Trina yelled.

“You on board a shuttle?” Dominguez asked.

“Getting on one!”

“Good!” Dominguez looked over the battlefield with her NIAI. There was just three thousand left, some thirty drop-ships’ worth of people.

“Get that artillery on automatic and get the fuck out of here,” Dominguez ordered the artillery captain.

“Yes, General!” they yelled back.

“Archibald, we’re going to need hot evacuations from these roofs soon,” Dominguez said, not trusting getting all the way into the underground base to attempt to escape Earth.

“Got it. Cutting new orders. Will need more drop-ships.”

“Copy!” Dominguez cut the channel and looked over the wall. Sighting in on targets that were making it through a breach in the main base’s walls, she fired on them, but still a few made it through.

She wanted to launch a grenade at them but they were too far. She could only switch her aim and start shooting at another group that had gained entrance to the base.

“They’re getting into the outer buildings!” one of the captains reported as another explosion rocked the Westerly Three Complex. A plume of red dust shot into the sky where another FOB had existed.

Drop-ships moved over the base, raking the combatants who were rushing the Westerly Three Complex main base.

Explosives went off as they started to gain entrance.

Dominguez was hit in the helmet by a stray round. She dropped to the ground. Her head buzzed as her implants pumped her with combat chemicals to get her up.

She felt the dent in the side of her helmet. Her shock turned to anger as she moved position and opened up on the little shit that fired on her. They weren’t too far away.

“Fuck head!” she yelled as the grenade exploded on the opposite roof.

She got back down behind the wall and reloaded her rifle. She kept on firing out on the enemy inside the wall who were making it a living hell for the people inside.

The last container-laden drop-ships had been fired off into the sky and drop-ships were coming in, flaring their engines and air flaps as they hovered behind the roofs. The troopers boarded them before they shot off and up away from the battlefield.

“Come on—faster, faster!” Dominguez turned and started firing on the enemy. They were everywhere now. She ducked back into cover and scurried away. Everyone was hunkered down, unable to fully suppress the enemy below.

A grenade went off in the stairwell, killing more of them.

They were in damn blade fighting range.

There were just a few hundred to go.

“Our ride is here! Come on!” a lieutenant yelled. There was no one behind in the floors below; it was just them now.

They pulled back to the drop-ship as fast as possible.

Dominguez waited at the ramp next to the lieutenant, checking everything on her NIAI.

“Let’s go, Lieutenant Ji!” She yelled over the sound of the drop-ship’s engines and jumped onto the ramp that hovered above the roof.

He turned and followed her.

They watched behind them as the ramp started to close and the engines went full throttle.

The base started to fade behind as they saw the different FOBs, their proud edifices now nothing more than plumes of red dust.

The drop-ships pulled away from the corporation and gang ships, heading into the skies. Signs of destruction covered the slums: downed craft, bodies, artillery craters.

The ramp closed as Dominguez connected to the sensors. Through her eyes, she saw out of the rear of the shuttle.

She saw as the main base continued firing its guns against the attackers who made it onto the tallest roofs in the base. They were firing wildly and some of them even at the leaving craft.

“Taste this, you sons of bitches.” Dominguez sent a final code to the base.

There was a rumbling noise at first, followed by the multiple charges in the underground base and the buildings above.

The base disintegrated into rubble, most of it falling down into the massive pit below that was nothing more than a big crater.

The ships around the base didn’t seem to know what to do as the forces moved higher and higher, climbing out of Earth’s atmosphere.

It wasn’t long until the muddy red atmosphere fell behind and they were out into space.

Drop-ships were landing in massive containers as the freighters were starting their engines. Tugs moved the last of the containers into place as the drop-ships landed.

Their next stop: the Emarl system.

Chapter Forty-Two

Senator Rimateus’s Estate

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3556

“Their weapons were based off the cannons that the troopers had. Their missiles were using chemical warheads—not even nuclear. Drive systems were all to EHC spec. The drop-ships looked like they had upgraded weapons and missiles, and they were a little faster than our own gliders, but there wasn’t enough information on them or the wreckage that were recovered to know much more.” Atia looked up to Rimateus, who was overlooking his property through a tall window.

“Continue.” He waved his hand before returning it to behind his back.

“The weapons used by the Westerly Three Complex Crew were more advanced than before, but they were still using chemically backed rounds instead of rail guns. Their armor was stronger than we were expecting but again, we have no samples or information on it to be able to know what its true capabilities are.”

“So they have some new tech, but it isn’t reaching to the standards of the legion,” Rimateus summed up.

“From what we can see, yes, but there is no knowing if they are keeping more from us.” Atia kept her tone respectful and brusque.

“I understand your concern. We will need to make sure that they are dealt with once this is all over.” Rimateus’s voice was calm and easy. “We don’t want them becoming a problem in the future.”

“Yes, Senator. Before or after the operation at Emarl is carried out?”

“Afterward. It will be easier to hide it then.”

“Understood, Senator.” Atia bowed her head.

“How is the testing going with the second initiative?” Rimateus turned around, facing her straight on.

“There have still been some major issues. We have gained access to more testees. The problem is that the organic and cybernetic systems are hard to graft together. Most of the times, the subject is overpowered or they are turned into a vegetable before being able to change their bodies.” Atia couldn’t help but frown at her inability to carry out his orders.

“All will be okay with time. With Emarl, we should be able to gain much more information on the mergers and how they operate so that we can create our own that are loyal to our cause,” Rimateus said.

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Rimateus said.

A servant entered, bowing deeply. “Senator Kris, Benefactor Yi, and Senator Edav are here for your afternoon luncheon.”

“Very good. Show them in. That will be all, Atia.”

Rimateus moved toward the door as the servant disappeared. Moments later, they reappeared, opening the door for the three guests. Senator Kris was an older gentleman who seemed like a nicer old man, while Yi and Edav were beautiful women. For people in their position, it was easy enough to get a few modifications to look like world-class beauties.

Rimateus and Kris were from two different political parties, but both of them frequented the same underground kind of clubs that brought them closer together on their little secret.

Outside, they might fight with each other, but behind closed doors they were kindred spirits, politicians playing the great game.

“Rimateus, my old friend, I have heard great things are happening!” Senator Kris said as the two women smiled coyly. Being in their positions, they knew how to use their looks and power to entice others.

Rimateus was already past these minor tricks and treated them as just ploys of the great game. He was looking for someone to bring to his side, hopefully a person with power similar to his own, in order to gain greater control over the Union.

“Better than I have hoped.” Rimateus had known these people for a long time and he knew of their backgrounds and proclivities. They were stifled under the current emperor, in both business and their own practices. If Rimateus was to ascend, then they would benefit greatly.

“Emp—Senator Rimateus is indeed a formidable man.” Senator Edav covered her mouth over the minor slip-up.

Rimateus gave her an admonishing look. “I will do what is best for the Union, dear senator, no more and no less,” Rimateus said, even as a smile played on his lips. There was no anger or true reproach in his eyes.

“We would hope that Senator Rimateus keeps us in mind when moving to higher realms,” Benefactor Yi, who was the heiress to several large businesses that operated in the Union, said.

“Of course, my lady.” Rimateus reached out a hand to her. She placed her hand in his gently as he kissed it and looked up into her eyes. After all, she was one of his candidates for empress.

She blushed slightly, with heat in her eyes.

There was nothing more alluring than power in the Union.

“Come, let us have some food and drink.” Rimateus guided them through his home to a luxurious seating area with delicacies already laid out.

“It is indeed saddening that the Union and the Hellenic system itself is woefully low on foodstuffs after the betrayal of Legate Nerva,” Kris said with a saddened sigh as he sat and grabbed a ripe fruit with his hands.

“One can only be sad at the current state of affairs.” Rimateus sat back in his chair while the ladies helped themselves to wine. He tapped a button on his chair, turning on a signal and sound-blocking device.

“How goes the campaign with Luyten?” Edav asked, her demure features turning more business-like.

“The fleet is on their way. They should arrive in a few months. The military force that they left on Earth has escaped onto two mega freighters that are moving out of the system and gathering together their inter-system freighters. There is no need to worry. They will only arrive three months before and they’re taking a bunch of slum dwellers. If anything, it will only strain their resources more,” Rimateus said.

“What about the movements in Masoul and Osdal?” Yi asked.

Rimateus gave her an admiring glance. It seemed that she was not just a pretty face.

“The people from Masoul are a beaten group. While they’re taking people, they’re taking less resources. They already have a limited number of ships; upgrading them all and giving them weapons will be difficult. The ships that were in Sol system were using chemical missiles and not even rail cannons. They’re low on resources but they’re taking in more people like a bleeding heart campaign.” Rimateus shook his head.

Edav laughed, her tone dark and disdainful. “Immigrants—looks like they can deal with the problems and resource draw that they are.”

Rimateus nodded, taking a wine goblet.

“What I don’t like is the lack of information. There are all of these people going there but what are they doing?” Kris complained.

“We haven’t left the Luyten ships without anything. They might be converted freighters but they’ve got full complements of rail cannons, missiles with nuclear payloads, and a few with anti-matter payloads if necessary. They’ve also got some old fighters that we pulled out from storage.” Yi was one of the people who had dealt with the other corporations and businesses to drum up the support needed for these actions.

Rimateus looked at her over his goblet, pleased with the way that she affirmed his position and appeased the other two, who looked at each other, seeming to agree on something.

“As you know, my grandson is stationed with the space legion in the Endo system. It seems that recent changes with the legion have allowed him and some of his fellows to get together and make a truly fine unit,” Kris hinted.

“A few of my cousins have also expressed their interest in supporting the senator in trying to unite humanity at this time of need,” Edav said demurely. Her eyes slid to Rimateus as she sipped from her goblet.

“The senator knows that he has my support in whatever he needs.” Yi took a small fruit and popped it into her mouth. A sly smile appeared on her lips as she looked to Rimateus.

Rimateus smiled and lifted his goblet. “To a more prosperous and greater Union that listens to its people’s wants and needs.”

“Hear hear!” Kris said. The others raised their glasses.

With their support, I now control fifteen more fleets that are close to the Hellenic system. It also looks like Admiral Hebbard is willing to step to the side to make sure that there isn’t a civil war. Oh Cassius, the days of your rule are coming to an end as you turtle up in your palace and try to pass down edicts.

The senate was starting to show their teeth as the majority supported Rimateus. They had active campaigns to talk of how the emperor was unable to do anything, that he was weak and he hadn’t served fully in the legion, downplaying his might.

All of this to change public opinion as they fought and delayed the actions he tried to carry out through the senate.

The senate’s power was great enough to hamstring him now. With the new threat from the Maraukians and the opportunities that came with Earth and Her Colonies, the senators didn’t want to just rule the Union; they wanted to rule everything. The threat of war and using that fear allowed them to push through policies that wouldn’t be allowed at other times. In their hands, it was a weapon to be used.

It wasn’t the first meeting of its kind to have taken place. As the senate saw Rimateus was making big moves, they started to go the way that allowed them to stay in power.

The military-serving members of the senate who truly sent their family into the front lines hadn’t been approached as they were still loyal to the legion and the emperor. Rimateus already had plans and scandals that he would make up to get rid of them when the time was right.

It looked as if everything was going according to plan.

Chapter Forty-Three

VCF Osdal

Emarl System

11/3556

Mark and Ava sparred together, working their way through a trying routine before Ava pushed him off and moved to lean on the wall, panting.

Mark watched as she did so. “Can’t be tired already. We’ve not even been at it a few hours.”

He could see and feel several things bothering her, but like him, she wasn’t always as open as she could be, and talking about it very rarely made things any easier. Their pain and future was pretty much already spoken for; they just had to make decisions about it, so that those in their path, or running alongside, would be well taken care of, both enemies and friends alike.

Mark moved to stand before her, placing one arm on the wall, while he held her gaze in his. Totally taking up any personal space she’d wanted, but feeling the need to be as close to her in as comforting a way as possible.

“We’re still weeks out of seeing them,” she finally admitted. “I thought...” Pausing, she placed a hand on his chest. “I hoped it would be quicker.”

“We’ve been traveling for months, training for most of them. Working ourselves to the bone almost. We’ve both done this to try to pass that time, make the most of what we had, rather than go into cryo.”

“This is what we do, right?”

Mark nodded at her, resting a hand on her hip. “You know it is.”

Ava looked away from him, pushing him gently so that he’d move.

Mark pushed back. “We’ve got to stop by the Yard first. It’s closer to the system—complete a few tasks there, then move to the station. We can easily get to the planet and then Crisidium in a few hours.”

“I just want it now.”

He saw her pout, and this time wasn’t taking it. He pulled her into him, feeling her body melt into his. “I know. It will be soon. You can take as much time as you need off from things around here, see your family.”

She looked up at him. “Hey, you need to see them too. I want to tell them...”

Mark’s face dropped. “Tell them what?”

“About us. You know I’m not going to stay at home without you, and if they see us together, they’re not stupid—they’ll know.”

Mark hesitated and pulled back from her slightly. It was more questions and feelings, and emotions that he hadn’t really thought on. This whole “moving in together” had been something he’d fought off, tried to stop, but the inevitable thing was, Ava wasn’t nor would she ever give up.

“How do you think Hael...your father will take it?”

She seemed to pause and think. There were a lot of feelings he was getting across their connections, but they weren’t what he really wanted to feel or hear.

“I don’t know,” she said simply in the end. “He likes you, Mark. He wouldn’t have been so easy or free to let me go if he didn’t. And he believed in the things you said, the man that you are.”

“But...” He knew there was one reservation.

“I’m still his little girl. Even with Akai, I’m still his first.”

Mark thought deeply on this and came to that understanding. “I’ll do everything I can to ease this transition.”

Ava laughed. “You’re not tuning up an engine, you know.” She picked up her weapons once more. “Come on, let’s keep that energy burning. Take my mind off where I want to be.”

Mark obliged. As their swords connected in a flurry of moves, he still couldn’t help but wonder what being in Emarl and being around all those he cared for would be like. They’d spent months getting here, and now he was worried he would want out as soon as they arrived.

***

It had taken a month for Thia to settle with the twins. Nothing like having two new babies around to make everything go awry.

But the more Hael had done for her, and for them, the more he realized not having Ava around had worn him down.

He’d spoken to her only a few days previous, but the comms wasn’t enough anymore. He wanted to hold his baby girl—his first one—in his arms. Even though she was probably a heck of a lot bigger than him now.

Hael made his way through from his office to where Thia was in a beautifully made up new nursery. The twins were sleeping and she was herself dosing in the sun that drifted in from the window. Easing the door open, he stood and watched them for but a moment. It was pure bliss. Then his eleven-week-old son made a gurgle and his wife woke. She looked at him and smiled.

“Hey,” he said. They moved to the cot and looked over; he was just turning in his sleep. Nothing for her to worry over.

“What you doing around here?” She smiled, and, moving to his side, wrapped her arm around him.

“You know, can’t keep away at the moment.”

When Thia winced after he squeezed her gently, he pulled back. “Still sore?”

“Yes,” she said. “Got an appointment to see the doctors later, but I think I’ll get one to stop by here instead—check the twins and me at the same time.”

He watched her face to make sure the pain she’d felt wasn’t anything more substantial, but her face settled and so did his worry.

“Just a complication from the surgery—nothing to worry about. I think I just need to get out some more, exercise instead of look after these two.” She grinned back to the babies and let out a laugh. “As much as I love them, I’d forgotten how much it took from you to raise one, let alone two.”

Hael could understand that. Between the both of them, they’d not had much sleep the last month. At first, both babies had settled in well, but then Akai, his daughter, had gotten herself a cold and then passed it to Kail. Now the two of them had been sick and their sleep pattern had altered; that meant not much rest during the night for the both of them. Hael had mentioned a nanny to help look after them and although there was one on hand for her, Thia never really let her do much, so the point was at the moment pretty moot. “Awen can help look after the twins while you go out,” he suggested. “Walk around the gardens, talk to the people like you used to. They’ve missed seeing you about the house.”

Thia smiled at him. “I’d like that. Thank you for letting me make the decision.”

He knew what she was like. Forcing any woman to do something she didn’t want was hard enough, but when she was still hormonal…not a chance.

“How are preparations for Ava’s homecoming?” she asked.

Hael hadn’t put a lot of thought into it, but it was and would be a big thing for not only them as a family, but for his people. Ava had been missed more so than Thia around the house. Many people continually asked about her well-being, even if they didn’t understand her decision to become a merger. Some hadn’t even grasped that concept; they saw her and probably always would see her as the princess of Crisidium. Though now, looking over Akai, he knew they’d take to her just as much.

Akai wasn’t supposed to be a replacement for Ava; he’d certainly not planned it, but his people would accept eventually that they had another to celebrate. Over the years to come, he only hoped that Akai wouldn’t decide to follow her bigger sister. In fact, that was one thing Ava had asked him not to let happen to her brothers, so he was sure she wouldn’t let it happen to the family she’d not even met yet.

“They will want a public celebration,” Thia said.

Hael frowned. “I just want her home for a bit, you know.”

Thia poked him in the ribs. “We all do. But there’s a lot more to her just arriving, and we both know that.”

Hael sighed. “She’s so close, I can almost feel her.”

Thia looked up into his eyes, then brought his chin down to kiss him. “I know. We can speak with her together when they arrive in Emarl. Then we can work out their plan of action before she comes to the planet. As much as I want her here, right now, I know that’s not going to happen.”

Chapter Forty-Four

EMFC Doomsday

Emarl System

11/3556

Ortiz was in the command center with all of the other command staff of the troopers as they transitioned back into real space.

Last transit, Ortiz thought as information started to come in from the ship’s sensors. First the other three ships in the formation appeared: the two accompanying EMFCs and the freighter that had transported Ortiz and his people out to them.

They started picking up on a few minute-old light, showing the different planets. Ortiz looked to the planet Ark and was able to make out the Yard. Even though it produced humanity’s largest ships, it was barely a speck when compared to the planet it orbited.

He could see some ships moving to the refinery station that was being built out of the Yard’s refinery deck, out toward the asteroid belts, even more moving toward Tricticus and the station there.

The four vessels silently accelerated in toward the Yard.

“We have a message coming in from the Yard for you, General Ortiz.” A communications officer turned to him.

“Put them on-screen,” Ortiz said.

The screen changed to a woman with a boy on her shoulder.

“What dump did they pick you out of?” Esamai asked.

“Good to see you, too, Esamai. How is little Tyler?” Ortiz smiled. He was godfather to the little boy and even if he hadn’t seen him before, he felt a connection with him as happiness filled him.

“He’s fine. Little cranky—just woke him up.”

Tyler didn’t seem to take this too well as he started making pre-crying huffs.

“No, no, come on, little man. You’re all right,” Esamai said.

“Did I miss it?” an out-of-breath voice asked off camera.

“No, he’s still on the call,” Esamai said, still trying to soothe Tyler. “Do you want to try to calm down your son?”

“Pass him here.” Jerome’s large figure filled the camera as he took Tyler and looked at the feed. “Yup, you’re still an ugly bastard,” Jerome said, looking at Ortiz.

“Hey, that ain’t no way to greet an old friend,” Ortiz complained.

“You owe me dip tins still.” Jerome’s tone was dry.

“Do you have to be so petty?” Ortiz scratched his head. “I thought those were gifts between friends.”

Jerome snorted and shook his head. He checked on Tyler, who seemed to have calmed down as he looked at his father with big, wide eyes. “He’s your godfather—don’t give me that look!”

The other people around Ortiz were all trying to sneak a look at the screen. Jerome was a person straight out of trooper legend. They had all seen the information on the Harmony War. The part that the Victors played wasn’t small and many had looked up their exploits, being left in shock. Even these captains, colonels, and warrant officers across company to regiment were all interested.

“Wait a minute, Mark’s coming online,” Jerome said.

The screen split with Esamai and Jerome on one side and Mark on the other. He seemed to be in some kind of ship.

“Good to see you again,” Mark said. “Everything go all right?”

“Got three ships up for sale and a bunch of EMF personnel looking to retire in their own piece of paradise.” Ortiz grinned, casting his eyes to the side as the people in the room heard him, grinning and smiling.

He could see them relaxing. Up till now, they had hoped everything he said was the truth, but they hadn’t believed it all the way. Now it was out in front of them.

“Sounds good. Heard a bunch of them past the school skill tests too. Always in need for more people in the Victor Corp!” Jerome said.

“Shameless promoter,” Mark said.

“I trained him well,” Esamai said with pride, tapping his chest.

“You own fifty percent too!” Jerome shot back.

Mark seemed to take a moment. “The Victor Corporation is a great place to work, should tell everyone that it is the place to work,” Mark said with his most winning, cheesy salesman smile.

Ortiz rolled his eyes, but he could see that the people with him were relaxing at the two’s joking words. “We’re still about nine days from reaching the Yard,” Ortiz said.

“Understood. It’ll be good to have you all here. Give us a chance, a real chance to do something for ourselves,” Mark said.

The room seemed to become somber.

“Fuck the EHC. Welcome to Emarl,” Jerome said.

The people around Ortiz all had beaming smiles while Esamai pinched Jerome, looking from him to Tyler with threatening eyes.

“You think he’s not going to learn swear words?” Jerome asked.

Esamai clearly wanted to argue, but looked at Ortiz and then Mark and pinched Jerome again.

“What was that for!”

“His first word better be mom!” Esamai said.

Ortiz laughed. He hadn’t been to Emarl before, but he felt as if he were coming home. He was optimistic about what was to come.

Bringing five hundred thousand of his brothers and sisters home as well was a big bonus.

Chapter Forty-Five

The Yard

Ark Orbit, Emarl System

11/3556

“Meetings are great—they are so much fun,” Jerome said for the third time.

“Say it a few dozen more times and it might come true,” Mark said as Jerome and Esamai entered the conference room.

Jerome flipped him the bird and went to his seat. It seemed that he had been in nothing but meetings ever since he had left the VCF Osdal.

All of the major players were there.

“You wake up on the wrong side of bed?” Ortiz asked.

“I must’ve to have to see your ugly mug,” Jerome spat back.

Hall laughed. “Seems that someone was on baby watch duty last night?”

Esamai didn’t say anything but wrapped her arms around Jerome, who looked at the others as if they could save him.

They all had mean looks on their faces as they looked away, ignoring his plight.

Moretti was there, in holographic form, even showing his appearance as everyone here knew who he was already.

There were no members of the Tricticus council, or any aides here. The NIAIs were better than any aide and it meant that they could get to the heart of matters quicker.

Ava rounded out the last of the people in the room. Esamai disengaged from Jerome and moved to sit beside her. They greeted each other with hugs and small talk.

Mark and Jerome looked at each other with wary eyes and then back to the two women.

Another alliance has been made. I’ll have to monitor this, Jerome thought before Mark turned to the table.

“All right, get your asses in a seat. It’s time we went through what’s going on and got everyone up to date!” Mark pressed a button, locking the doors.

“And I suddenly feel all warm and fuzzy inside,” Ortiz muttered.

Hall looked over to him. His eyes seemed to say I know, right?

Everyone got seated. Jerome, Ortiz, Hall, Moretti, Ava, Esamai and Mark were in the room. They commanded the Victor Corporation and all of its assets. It was no small amount of power, but it was a massive machine and they needed to run it right or else they wouldn’t survive what was coming.

The kidding atmosphere faded away as they all turned business-like, looking to Mark and Jerome, who was seated to his right side.

“First, I want to go over the numbers of recruitment of personnel into the Victor Corporation. Primarily through the skill schools.” Mark turned to Jerome and Esamai.

“I have this one.” Jerome had been reviewing the information. Esamai’s skill set lay in building things while Jerome had dealt with personnel and allotments consistently over his life, so they broke down the workload according to their strengths.

“Right now, we have the skill schools on the planet Tricticus. We have also set up virtual classrooms with the EMF personnel on the carriers that have been contacted, woken up, and are heading for the Emarl system. In the future, with people coming from the Osdal system, it is my hope to use the transit time to try to get those who want to learn new skills through the basic lessons. The people coming from Masoul, we are using cryopods so they’re going to be out and won’t be able to. The skill schools have gone over well. The people who had nothing else or any other opportunities have grabbed this chance with both hands and are giving it their all. We’ve set up a tier system. Teachers can assess their students not only on their knowledge but their temperament and the way that they go about tasks. This allows them to be placed into classes that are better suited for their learning needs, allowing us to speed up the rate that they progress.

“While training the people on Tricticus is slow-going, we do have some one point five million people who are training, working at the different campuses or in the application process. The biggest thing that we’ve found when looking at the demographics of the Tricticus students is that most of them are from lower positions in the Tricticus hierarchy. They had nothing, so they risked it all. The more powerful clans and families are less likely to put their people to the schools, else they might come out with debt. Also, a lot of the powerful families’ students are being kicked out as they’re fighting because of some old grudge their family has and expecting that their family will make sure that any trouble disappears.” Jerome looked to the people in the room. None of them even batted an eyelid. One would have to make it on their own in this world. Relying on their family and connections wasn’t the way of the Victor Corporation.

“Moving on to the EMF trainees. With their knowledge of safety, ability to work in space, as well as basics such as math, sciences, and literacy, even without sleep training aids, their training has been greatly accelerated. With them selling their carriers to us, they are also able to pay us directly for their training, so it is entirely possible for them to branch off from the Victor Corporation to make their own companies in the Emarl system. There are some four million in training right now on their way to the Emarl system. The EMF who have already arrived, some of them are in or are heading to the different schools on Tricticus or the station and Yard to get hands-on training. Once outfitted with a NIAI and allowed to sleep learn, it won’t take them long until they’re fully qualified. We will have the first Tricticus and ex-EMF qualified workers in a few months. It will be around a hundred and twenty thousand people, we estimate. Though those are rough numbers. Each month afterward, we’re expecting anywhere from fifty to eighty thousand people being qualified by the skill schools.”

The room was quiet as people looked at one another. Those were not small numbers.

“We can keep that number up?” Ortiz asked.

“We’ve got literally millions of people coming in from across known space. From Osdal, we’ve got three refinery stations and hundreds of thousands of people have signed up to come to Emarl already. Masoul has nearly two million people who have signed up to come to Emarl. We’ve got three EMFCs here already and the remaining twenty-two have been contacted and are on their way here, or are finishing their Alcubierre upgrades. We’re pulling out of Earth. These are no small numbers and these people won’t have anything here. With the schooling, they get an opportunity to reach for what they want. I’ve been in talks with Johnny, over training and setting out different schools. He wants to hire teachers and qualified people from in-system. We’re not the only people who want to have qualified personnel.”

The others in the room had contemplative looks on their faces.

Jerome cleared his throat and continued.

“Also, Admiral Hall and General Ortiz have both talked to me about including training for different personnel needed in technical positions. We have started training for these different people. Once or if they already have military training, they will be able to apply to these in-depth programs, learning the same, if not more detailed information to improve reaction speeds. The hook is that if they complete it with the military, they will have to pay years of school with years of service, unless they pay off the debt directly,” Jerome said.

“We have well-trained and motivated people. We want to make sure that they have the best skills, and if they choose to leave then they can get a job on the civilian side,” Hall said. Ortiz clearly agreed with his words.

Mark sensed that Jerome was done with his report as he moved onto the next bit of information.

“So we’ve got a good number of skilled workers coming in, which’ll allow us to really help expand the VC’s and the military wing. What assets do we have in-system—militarily, offensive, defensive as well as corporation and then Tricticus council? What can we count on adding to those assets in the coming months?” He looked over to Esamai, who took a drink of water from the table and cleared her throat.

“Militarily, we have one battleship, a carrier being finished in a few weeks. We have four supply ships that are meant for the fleets but have been moved out to be close to the mining areas in the different asteroid belts to act as refineries and factories, passing on their completed products to the inter-system freighters shipping materials between them and the Yard. The refining station has been placed where the mining has yielded the greatest results, at one of the six cardinal points of the system. We have purchased the three EMFCs that are in-system. They are functional but we have plans to overhaul them to increase their fighting capabilities as troop transports. We have the Moby as well, which is nearly complete in its upgrades. With the items that were made by the people aboard the VCF Osdal and in-system, we have enough Defender Armor for five full forces, the drop-ships for three forces, rifles and repulsors for ten forces. We’ve got four hundred flights’ worth of rapid support drones and seeder drones.”

One flight includes six of the RSDs and two of the seeders, Jerome thought. The number of their forces was much more than what he was expecting. Hearing it in hard numbers was one thing, but he had seen these different items when working on the VCF Osdal as containers and containers of the different items were shipped down to the Yard.

“We’ve got four forces’ worth of the Gorgon tanks—that’s sixty per force, for a total of three hundred. Artillery, we have five forces’ worth of complete batteries—that’s six thousand gun. For defenses, we have been making the Praetor orbital cannons. I switched development over, upon the information received that an attack might be imminent, according to Hall and Ortiz’s orders. We have four thousand of the cannons. They are slower to produce but are self-contained and can be used at distance or mounted on stationary positions. Asteroids are being mined out and moved to the Ark’s orbit as well as Tricticus’s. The aim is to turn these into defensive locations to cover the planets and create a net of orbital stations, filled with close-in defense weapons to defeat enemy weapons fire before it enters a planet’s atmosphere. The orbital cannons have been deployed around the Yard in mass and around the station.

“Full coverage is going to take a long time till we get there, so we’ve started rigging up movement engines to the cannons so that they can move to deal with different threats. Golden sky missile systems have been put into production as well. These run off the same missiles as the battleship and work to provide defensive cover over the stationary points we hold.

“Inter-system freighters have been seeding the system with sensor buoys. We have complete in-system coverage and are pushing outward. This will create a network where we will be nearly always able to use the RSDs without the seeders around the system. Give us real-time ability to talk and see everything in-system.

“Civilian assets.” Esamai took a big breath and waved her hand in an obvious gesture at the Yard. “Well, we got this thing. Then we’ve got the refinery station. Well, it’s being built up and working at the same time. We’ve got the station and ships in-system but I’ll leave that to Hall to talk on. Miners in the asteroid belt. The station acting as a training hub and commerce hub with the people of Tricticus. We should have two of the three civilian mega freighters currently being built completed this month; the final—VCF Alexis—will take four months to be finished and will be the largest yet. With the fabbers from the VCF Osdal, then the mergers with the nanite vats, our production has had a massive leap. I expect that our production will increase by nearly three or four times. I don’t know the exact details and others can talk on timescale.” Esamai gestured to Hall, who nodded. “It looks like we will be welcoming three refineries into the system. We need resources and badly. Right now, we’re burning through them at a massive rate. We’re going to need to start cannibalizing old equipment to make up for our resource needs and we need to make a lot more mining vessels. The shipments from Osdal should be enough to tide us over before Johnny and his people arrive, but we’re going to need a lot more, which admittedly is a good problem to have.” Esamai sat back from the table, seeing whether anyone had questions about what she had said.

No one had anything yet and she looked to Mark.

“All of your techs, on the VCF Osdal, in the skill schools, and on the Yard have pulled off miracles. They have my thanks and praise,” Mark said.

Esamai sat a bit higher.

She had heard of Mark and he was technically her brother-in-law, but there was a way he talked, acted, and just was, that seemed to place a pressure on a person. Hearing his praise was well earned and couldn’t be faked.

“Hear hear,” Hall agreed. The others in the room all seriously looked at Esamai, giving hard-won looks of admiration. She was a new mother and still took on these challenges easily, beating them down and pulling out results.

“Thank you,” Esamai said.

Jerome felt proud as he looked at his wife in her element.

Mark smiled before his eyes fell on Hall. “Where are our ships and what’s going on with that mess?”

“Controlled chaos,” Hall said with a raised finger.

“Navy bullshit,” Ortiz coughed. “Oh sorry, got a nasty cold.” His face was completely innocent.

“Trooper idiot,” Hall coughed. “You know, I think it must be catching!”

The others in the room laughed as Hall went on with a smile.

“Right now, we have some sixty inter-system freighters, most of which ain’t so inter-system right now. Most of them have completed their missions, if it was to go to wake up the different EMFCs that were laying asleep in EHC space, or upgrade our mega freighters. All seven of our mega freighters are moving. VCF Osdal is heading for Osdal, which to even me sounds weird as hell. VCF Reclaimer is on its way back. VCF Fernix has loaded the refineries and is also on its way back. VCF Navis is entering the system, to drop off items and then head to Emarl with personnel and resources. VCF Hope and Novum are moving to link up and support the evacuation of Earth. We have two undercover inter-system freighters there that will exit with the rest of our forces from the Sol system. VCF Promise will arrive in the Masoul system shortly and work to pull out anyone who wants to leave. There will be an extended period of time needed for refitting the mega carrier with cryopods. The standard VCFs that have completed their missions in known space are to move to Osdal and Masoul to assist in carrying resources and personnel back. EMFCs across the EHC should start arriving next month in groups of up to five at a time every couple of months.

“In-system, we have mining vessels across the asteroid belts, inter-system freighters that don’t have Alcubierre drives, shipping materials back from the supply ships and refinery to the station or the Yard. Tugs at the Yard and station with combat shuttle assets used on Tricticus and up to the station.

“We’ve got drop-ship training to be carried out from one of the EMFCs we’ve purchased down to Tricticus to get our people ready. The Moby is ready in case it is needed. Next to the Yard, it is our greatest combat-capable ship at the moment.

“The battleship and carrier—I am working on the crew appointments right now and should have a crew in there by the end of the week, with crews ready for the other warships that are to come out.

“The EMFCs are waiting with a skeleton crew to man its systems if needed. Once personnel are freed up from the mega freighters, then they can begin work on converting the EMFCs.”

“When will the three refinery stations reach us?” Mark asked.

“They should arrive in eight months,” Hall said. It was just over ten months transit time from Osdal to Emarl; with nearly two months underway, they had completed a fifth of their journey.

“We will also have the Aegean gardens arrive at the same time, according to their current flight speed. They’re working to improve their travel speed with adding more battery banks and reactors,” Moretti said.

“Then we’ve got the legionnaires coming from the Otarvi system in a couple of weeks too,” Jerome said.

“Well, Ortiz, what’s the plan with the legionnaires and the troopers?” Mark asked.

“First, we need to figure out a fucking name! Damn infuriating still! We’re troopers—we’re damn tin cans, Troopers…shit’s enough to keep a man awake with a dictionary! Otherwise, with the incoming ex-legionnaires, we can offer them the same deal as the troopers. They pick what they want to do, get trained up and take on the job. We’ve got some six hundred thousand personnel ready for action on the trooper side. That’s enough for six full forces. Got more coming in from the EMFCs; by estimates, we’ll have seventeen to twenty full strength forces when everything comes together. Let’s be honest—most of us joined the EMF to get at least a chance at something more. Most of the people now getting a real chance want to get some security and a life away from fighting all the time.” Ortiz’s voice calmed down as Jerome and the others who had served all had knowing looks.

They didn’t feel like they were being let down; they were happy that they were able to offer a way for their fellows to live a life onto themselves.

“That said, I don’t know how many will apply to be part of the mergers. Across the services, we don’t know this factor,” Ortiz said.

The mergers’ abilities were something to make anyone jealous, but it took serious stones to even sign up for testing to become one. No matter the military branch, when the training started, it wasn’t anything easy: pushing people to their limits, drawing out their potential, their ability to face death—even go through it time and time again. Then, once they were done, they were given a choice: die for real and become a merger, or live life as a human, knowing that they had achieved what few had been able to. It wasn’t any easier becoming a regular merger with them going through all of your information, finding out the kind of person that you were in order to make sure that you weren’t going to use your power in a way to negatively affect others. There were even less people willing to do this on the civilian side. Only extreme characters like Charles and his engineering team were willing to push away their humanity, looking for answers to their questions and pushing the envelope of discovery and innovation further.

“We’ll just have to see where the cards fall for that one.” Mark shrugged. He didn’t know what the answer would be to that, either. “Moretti, what are we looking like externally and internally?”

“Internally is easier. With the people at the bottom getting positions with the Victor Corporation, the people in higher positions are seeing that what they had before ain’t much. I see that there’s going to be a conflict of changing classes, but there’s not much that they can do but get on board, or make a path for themselves. We’ve got other companies emerging, which is good. The council on Tricticus is working fine for now, but then I see with the class problems that’s going to be weird.

“Sam is starting to get to work and as for this meeting, he has elected leaders for the different sectors. Esamai is the leader of the Yard. Trevor Owens is the leader of the station. Shannon O’Malley is the leader of the miners. Deva Chera controls the refinery. Lupius Wrest is to take command of shipping—sorry, Hall.” Moretti looked at the admiral.

“I’m fine with it—was doing two hats anyway.” Hall smiled.

“Military branch, Dominguez,” Moretti finished.

“These positions will be filled for one year unless Sam determines otherwise and then they might change,” Mark said. “It will take effect at the end of this month, so we’ll have to make sure that we get the people new to their positions up to speed.” Mark looked around the room.

Jerome nodded. He wasn’t a leader of anything and Esamai was over him, but he hoped that he could help her as she needed. Also means that I will need to tell her about the Ark. That might be awkward.

“With that sorted, externally, it’s a shit show. The EHC has all kinds of bans on trading with the Victor Corporation. The same has come from the Roma Union. Also, he’s pushed for the legionnaires who are coming to us to be labelled as traitors. It looks like he will get his way,” Moretti said in a heavy voice. It was spitting on the legionnaires and all that they had done. It didn’t make anyone in the room feel good.

“That’s not all the esteemed senator has been up to. It looks like he has been talking to the father of the disgraced Admiral Hesra. I believe it is he who got the Luyten Conglomerate to attack Dominguez on Earth. With this connection, I was able to pull up more information. The Luyten Conglomerate has been recruiting people into the military, outfitting freighters into warships, and then they sent them off a few months ago, all of the people training as they were underway. I have needed to use the mergers and their abilities to confirm that a shell corporation under the Qizata trading house has been actively moving goods around. They’ve got old powered armor and weapons. The ships also have old but decent rail gun systems and missiles. I’ll send you specific information on it all after this.” Moretti looked at Hall, Ortiz, Mark, and Ava.

“It looks like we should be prepared for attacks on Emarl. I can also expect that the Union is going to be in a lot of trouble. Rimateus is a powerful senator already. With this move, he could politically annex the emperor and become the next one.

“Emperor Cassius has to nip this in the bud or else the Union will be Rimateus’s instrument. To these ends, it is my aim to assist him in overcoming Rimateus. Talking to the military branch, we have decided that Emarl will take on the storm of the Luyten Conglomerate. This will allow us to pull out the snakes in the Union. Then, if Cassius is suitable, we assist him to stay in power and remove the snakes. Or we remove the snakes and put someone else in power, like Damus Versanti,” Moretti said.

Jerome saw that Esamai seemed a little confused while Ava’s frown showed her shock.

Moretti saw it as well. “We know someone is sending signals, controlling the Maraukians. We know that they have Alcubierre drives, which put all of humanity in danger. We don’t have time for these political games. This is why we have Sam, to do the best for everyone. The Union is broken but centralized; the EHC is broken but decentralized. If we were to change Earth, then the colonies’ governors would still be corrupt. If we clear out the senate, then from the top down the Union will be affected by change. We need a secure base of operations to move forward. We don’t have that right now.”

“But changing the emperor? Isn’t that a bit...” Ava said.

“Crazy?” Moretti smiled.

“Well, yeah but also, that’s an empire, and it spans over tens of planets—quintillions of people and nearly a billion people under arms,” Ava said.

“We cut the cancer out, or else it will fester.” Mark’s words were ruthless. “If he doesn’t show he’s able to take control and do what’s best for humanity…well, we’ll leave that decision up to Sam.”

Jerome nodded to himself. Making those kinds of decisions weren’t easy. Hell, if they overreached their boundaries again and again, then they’d be no better than the corruption and people they wanted to stop. It would make them nothing but tyrants. Leaving it to Sam to make the first decision was all they could do; then they looked to themselves. After all, they weren’t a part of the Union but the Emarl system.

“Which, I guess, brings me to the last point of this meeting and something that I have been keeping a secret,” Mark said with a heavy voice.

Everyone’s gaze sharpened. For him to keep it from all of them, it meant that it truly wasn’t simple.

“Some of you might be wondering why this station is orbiting the previously unnamed planet and why Moretti called it Ark once he arrived?” Mark asked.

Jerome could see the questions in people’s eyes.

“I sent off a number of satellites to look over this system. That was actually partially a lie. I was sending out some of them, but I didn’t need them to be massive. Instead, I was sending out an AI with what it needed to set up a settlement, an Ark. They landed on the planet below us and they started to build a base.

“Right now, the complex has grown rather large. There are multiple fabbers working around the clock, from class one to three. There is also an ongoing mining operation, shipyard, Pluto armor building effort. Energy is generated by the planet’s high temperature as well as the thunderstorms hitting nodes.

“It can generate anti-matter and has five anti-matter generators accumulating energy constantly. It has completed two battleships and one carrier. It can produce one carrier in two months and one battleship every three at its current rate, with no need for assistance. The manufacturing capabilities are all military and they will be added to the capabilities of the Yard. There is also a lot of premade missile and Praetor defense cannons that were premade. I wanted to make sure that Emarl was secure from any information leaking out before I released information on the Ark.

“It is another strength that we can use in the upcoming battle. We will have to deal with a fleet of twenty-three ships that Luyten want to throw at us. I am sorry for keeping this information from you all but I feel that you all understand why I did so,” Mark said.

“Damn, you always got backup plans?” Ortiz asked.

“Always good to be ready.” Mark smiled. “It is my aim to take down the crates from the fallen and place them in the headquarters located on the Ark with the other mergers as it will serve as a base of operations for the mergers. The other military groups are welcome to join as well.”

“Might be a good command center. The troopers are better suited for around the station and Tricticus to get on-the-ground training and deployment training from space to the ground,” Ortiz said.

“When it is possible, I want to build up a navy shipyard, but right now, being based around the Yard and having roving patrols is probably the best,” Hall said.

All the different arms had different needs for the training and forces so it made sense that they didn’t pick the same headquarters but instead used places better suited for training and honing their people.

They were all adults; they knew that Mark had his reasons.

“Is there anyone with any more updates?” Mark asked.

“Nope, but it’s time we got a damn drink!” Hall stood.

“Says the guy not on some ship in the middle of nowhere,” Moretti complained.

“Eh, been there, got the badge, pretty boring. Stations are more fun.” Hall grinned.

Ortiz laughed and clapped the man on the shoulder as everyone stood and stretched.

“Urgh, when did I get old enough that I needed to stretch after meetings,” Jerome complained.

“You’ve always been that old,” Mark said. “In spirit at least.”

“And who blew up that reactor again?”

“One fuckin’ time!” Mark raised his hands, hitting the ceiling. He had a frown on his face as his shoulder drooped. “Can’t friggin’ win.”

The others laughed and Ava patted Mark on the arm, shaking her head with a bemused smile.

Chapter Forty-Six

VCF Moby

Ark Orbit, Emarl System

11/3556

“We’re going where?” Carla looked to Chen in confusion.

“Right about…there.” Chen pointed at the conference table that showed the Ark rotating below, a soup of thunderstorms and powerful natural forces.

Carla and Travestki looked at each other, clearly not looking forward to a journey like that. In contrast, Taelyon was practically doing a jig, an excited smile on her face.

Chen was thankful that he could control his stomach now as his body had gone through the full transition and he was now a complete merging-capable person.

Carla and Travestki looked to Taelyon and then slid their eyes to Chen with accusatory stares.

“Well, at least one of us is happy,” Carla muttered.

“Fucking awesome!” Taelyon let out a shout and held her “rock on” hands up.

“Why?” Travestki asked.

“Because it’s a base, underneath that soup of flying hazards. Our goal is to make it there. We will be taking down supplies and flight crews for a number of ships that have been built down there, as well as engineering crews to look over the different facilities and some people from the navy and ground forces to check out the facilities.” Chen sent information packages to them all. Their eyes flashed as they merged and integrated the information, looking at the planet with new eyes.

“Well, it looks like there’s at least a path in where different lightning rods can draw the lightning away from us. Might be good to rig up some kind of system to bleed off any static energy we build up,” Carla said.

“Going to be a bitch to thread that needle,” Francis said, a look of concentration on his face. It would be his job to make sure to warn Taelyon of any dangers. In the planet’s atmosphere, there were more than one could count.

“There’s a system in place in the base; we get down and it’ll discharge into the clamps to be turned into energy,” Chen said.

“That’s a lot of energy,” Taelyon said. Even excited to push her flying skills, she wasn’t blind to the dangers.

“The place makes anti-matter—I think the power from a lightning strike won’t be that hard to deal with,” Chen said dryly.

“Too bad we don’t get to shoot anything.” Travestki sighed. He wanted to put the new weapon systems and missiles to use. Not only were they the most advanced weapon systems in known existence, they were actually made with nanites and when an upgrade was available and tested properly, then it only took uploading the programming into the new weapons to have them upgrade themselves internally, no longer needing to strip out weapons and replace them completely.

“Easy for you to say—you can turn off the feeling of nausea,” Liang complained. He was the only member of the team who didn’t want to become a merger; the others had applied and had undergone treatment.

“Well, higher wants us to be ready to move in two hours,” Chen said.

This wouldn’t be enough planning time before, but now, two hours was like years to the mergers, especially if they were working together.

“I’ll have a talk with engineering,” Taelyon said.

“I’m there with you,” Carla said.

“I’ll leave it in your hands,” Chen said.

***

Two hours later, everyone was strapped into their stations on the bridge.

“How are we looking, Carla?” Chen asked.

“Everyone is secured into their positions. We’re ready,” Carla said.

Chen had ordered everyone to be secured in their seats and to take nanites that would make sure they didn’t throw up or pass out. He didn’t know what craziness Taelyon would subject them to.

“We’re cleared by the Yard to depart. Sending flight plan over.” Liang’s hands moved over the terminal and then he checked his securing straps.

Chen smiled ruefully. It seemed that the crew trusted Taelyon a great amount, to throw them through a damn rollercoaster.

“All right, let’s get this over with,” Chen said, unable to keep the slight sigh from his voice.

When he saw his command staff, he tacitly avoided their pleading eyes; he focused on the main screen. Taelyon, please be nice! Even his internal thoughts sounded as though he were pleading.

“Engines are online.” Taelyon’s hands turned on various systems and pushed them away from the Yard on their preset flight plan.

“Merging,” Taelyon said.

***

Taelyon was in her reclined seat, looking up at her screens. Unseen by others, the nanites that made up her clothes and skin on her back linked up with the nanites in her chair, connecting her to the Moby directly.

When she merged, she didn’t connect with the other mergers in the ship through the net; she merged with the ship itself.

Where the Vanguard became one with their suit, Taelyon became one with the Moby’s flight systems.

Information that would have overloaded three people’s minds entered Taelyon’s perfectly. Her body became the Moby; she felt other presences merging, the different mergers across the ship.

She controlled the thrusters and engines as Francis joined the Moby’s network. Her view expanded as he took in all of the information from the sensors, composed and sent it to her. Carla appeared, connecting to different areas of the ship. Travestki connected to the weapons systems. Although they could all run their stations by themselves, it was nowhere as powerful as when they were working with others.

With all of the crew working together, their power was increased by orders of magnitude.

Taelyon flexed her drive systems, getting information back on different checks by the engineering teams as well as feedback from the reactors and the battery storage. All of these different factors affected her flight.

When Chen came online, it pulled everything together, his personality dominant in the ship. Mergers acted like a hive mind with one another and the people they worked with. It was as if they were all sub-systems ready to be commanded, to be led by Chen.

“Let’s go.” Chen’s powerful voice carried through the net and the different sub-systems ramped up their work.

Taelyon poured power into the main engines as they moved into a degrading orbit. She worked with Francis to figure out a path, having to take in minute changes in the environment.

“We’re going to get severe turbulence there. Lots of air moving around. Seems like a mega tornado is forming. With lightning,” Francis said blandly. “We’ve got a decent entry point here, but sporadic lightning strikes.”

“We can take a few straight hits but not too many or else the charge will start to interfere with systems,” Carla reminded them.

“What if we were to make entry here, then stay above the clouds and dive in at this location?” Taelyon fired back at them.

“Change entry point to here, and we’re going to need to drop like a sack of shit to break through those clouds and get into lightning alley,” Francis said.

“Lightning alley, that’s what you called the route into the base?” Carla sighed.

“Sorry, Chief.” Francis laughed.

“How long does it take those doors to open?” Taelyon asked.

“One minute,” Mark, who was connected to the net, said.

“We’re going to have to hit that before we dive through the clouds,” Francis said. A timeline appeared between them all.

The Moby started to shake as they entered atmosphere.

Taelyon and Francis worked together, decreasing the shaking to a mild rumble.

“Well, that’s a first,” Travestki said out loud on the bridge.

“I’m not betting on it staying that way,” Liang said, checking his straps.

Taelyon showed an embarrassed smile even while she was merged. She knew how chaotic this next bit of flying would be.

That embarrassed smile turned into one filled with excitement. Taelyon didn’t see the pale faces around her as she fully immersed herself in the Moby’s systems.

The key to entering the planet’s atmosphere was the angle. The key to getting through the Ark’s atmosphere was speed: too long in the ever-changing atmosphere and they couldn’t predict what would happen. They needed to strike quick and fast to make it through.

The rumbling of the ship died down as they pulled out of their dive and soared across the heavens of the Ark.

“Ready,” Francis said, both out loud and on the net.

“Ready,” Taelyon said as the mergers in the ship merged with the ship and one another.

Taelyon felt as if her mind was released from its shackles, the Moby a living and breathing beast for her to guide. This sense of power made her feel alive.

The engines were sucking atmosphere and everything looked good.

“Punch it,” Chen said.

The Moby shot forward. She wasn’t some junker relic of history anymore. The power forced everyone back in their seats, sending heartbeats racing and stomachs turning as the Moby’s speed passed through the speed of sound again and again.

Taelyon was in her element as Francis kept running the information feed to her.

The ship slid to the right and banked to the left, diving at the same time as they carved through the air and into the thick soup of raging clouds and natural disasters that was the Ark.

The ship shook and rattled as systems shook and groaned, but the Moby was built stronger than this. Taelyon led and the Moby pushed to meet her needs—beast, man, machine as one.

“Port twenty degrees.” Taelyon skewed the ship abruptly, tossing people against their straps as a lightning strike as thick as a shuttle illuminated the ship’s hull. All around them, a sea of raging lightning smashed against the barren landscape well below.

“Ahead forty meters, three seconds!” Taelyon increased power, leveled out and shot through the location as lightning came down behind them, adjusting the flight plan according to the new changes.

“Starboard forty degrees.” Taelyon turned the ship into a rolling dive to the port side, snapping out of it and shooting across the ground.

“Lightning rods eighty kilometers; mountain range thirty. Starboard ten degrees.” Francis’s voice was like a rail gun spitting out words.

Taelyon recognized, updated, and adjusted.

The mountain range made her tighten her control over the ship. It was filled with metals and attracted a ton of lightning strikes.

It made what they had passed through look like a light drizzle compared to being under a waterfall.

Speed was the best answer as they screamed through the skies, the only thing daring to stand up to those natural disasters: swerving, banking, and even having to use her thrusters to dodge lightning as she entered the mountain range.

“Port seventy, starboard thirteen.” Francis’s voice snapped in her mind, highlighting danger, the strength of the lightning coming down.

Power surged through the ship; the engineering team looked to bleed it off so that the systems wouldn’t get overloaded. The static electricity on the ship was becoming a problem. Different ship systems were getting fouled up by it.

“Firing port!” Travestki said. The rail cannons along the port side all fired but didn’t use rounds. The reactors didn’t shunt power into the guns or the battery back-ups as the static energy from the hull was channeled into the guns. Cannons started firing to release the pent-up charge while the anti-matter generator in the engineering section drew in as much power as possible.

The crew were trying to just bleed off the power as fast as possible.

Taelyon aimed to take on the smaller lightning hits and avoid the larger ones.

The ship’s hull started to show glowing areas from the electrical discharge and faint burn marks where the strikes landed.

Taelyon was running low against the mountains, giving them more time to know where the strikes were coming from above.

“Brace!” Francis yelled, relaying information to her at the moment that the lightning strike formed from above and charged downward.

Taelyon brought the nose of the craft upward with her thrusters, the behemoth making the mountains shake as she triggered the sub-light engines, melting and reforming the mountains below.

The Moby dropped a few hundred feet; items that weren’t secure were thrown around as people were pressed against their harnesses.

The thrust and whining of the Moby’s engines forced them back into their chairs. Taelyon didn’t have time to focus on what everyone was going through.

The engines and thrusters pushed directly against the mountain, before they shot forward.

Taelyon’s actions stopped them from smashing into the ground.

“Port seventy degrees.” Francis didn’t miss a beat as Taelyon once again continued to adjust as they were nearing the end of the mountain range.

She could see the lane of lightning rods running through an unassuming crater toward a section of the ground that was opening to show darkness.

They cleared the mountain range with a dust cloud behind them. Taelyon had to reduce the ship’s forward momentum with a mix of air flaps and her forward thrusters; she leveled out with her side thrusters and reduced the power to her main engines.

Strikes continued to rain down as the different systems on the ship continued to try to drain out as much power as possible.

Taelyon banked away from the lightning rods and she dropped altitude before banking back, missing multiple strikes before she leveled out and brought it in between the lightning rods.

Looking at them, they were just rock formations—small hills or mountains—but at their peak, a network of metal was laid out to attract and absorb the lightning strikes.

Mark really didn’t want this place to be found. Taelyon wouldn’t have found this path, even merged, if she hadn’t been told about it.

Once inside, the strikes from above were redirected toward the lightning rods. The whole flight settled down as she leveled out, her combat chemicals toning down as she relaxed slightly.

The rest of the flight was easy as she reduced speed.

Navigation information appeared in front of her as Liang relayed information coming from the base.

She looked at the pitch-black opening in the ground on the side of a large hill range. She angled down, cutting her engines’ speed as she glided through the opening easily.

The sensors brought the area inside to life. There were acceleration rails to shoot craft out into the planet’s atmosphere as fast as possible. There were automated tugs moving through the space, as well as rail carts moving materials across the large expanse beyond. The only light came from the different moving items.

Taelyon guided the ship toward a massive cradle waiting for the Moby.

The massive doors leading outside started to close as lights turned on inside the large cavern.

They weren’t lights attached to the ceilings but rather the guiding lights on the completed battleship and carrier.

Light strips started to appear from the sides as nanites formed light strips across the massive hangar.

Taelyon started to come out of the merge with everyone else. The mental strain was high with the sheer amount of information that they had shared.

Clamps came out of the cradle, connecting to the Moby and discharging it as other clamps started to connect.

Taelyon opened her eyes and started using her terminal to power down the flight systems.

“We’re locked in,” Liang said.

Everyone looked a bit shaken up from the journey in but they were quickly recovering. A few were even sporting massive smiles as they’d survived the ordeal.

“Nice flying,” Francis said to Taelyon.

“Good read on those sensors,” she replied. Without them working together, it would’ve been a much rougher flight.

***

Mark and the Vanguard were piled into the drop-ships. The atmosphere was sobering as they all looked at the Pluto crates that had one of the sixty-three names that had come before them.

The drop-ships moved through the main bay and shipyard building area of the Ark.

It passed through a large hatch and reached another docking area. The drop-ships came down, landing in this area.

Mark and the mergers stood, releasing the crates as the drop-ship’s doors opened. They exited, each group of mergers marching with a floating crate between them.

This was their new headquarters. The outer air lock opened fully; there was no air in the facility yet. Silently they moved forward in their pitch-black Pluto armor that absorbed light or wearing their black and purple fatigues, not needing to bleed atmosphere.

They marched together perfectly—for the fallen, in their memory and honor. The hall into the base had holes cut into its walls.

Sixty-three of them.

The floating crates came to a halt at their different resting places. The new members of the Vanguard stood next to the wall; each drop-ship group was spaced apart. Those nearest the wall marched to fill the gaps.

Mark and the leaders of the Vanguard turned around as one, looking at the Vanguard looking at them, the crates to their side, between them and the wall.

“Left and right, turn!” Mark yelled.

The Vanguard faced the crates and the wall.

“To the fallen!” Mark and everyone snapped their right fist to their heart.

The crates slowly turned and moved backward, matching up with the slots cut from the walls. They drifted backward into their final resting place.

“Release!” Mark said after a few moments. Fists snapped down to their sides.

The net was filled with complicated emotions.

“Forward face!”

The Vanguard turned to look down the hall.

“Forward march!”

Their feet and hands moved as one. As they continued forward into their headquarters, their movements were quiet, almost silent, but the hall shook with their footsteps. They entered their new headquarters for the first time with heavy hearts and minds. They stood straighter, knowing that they stood in boots that men and women greater than them had done before and given the ultimate sacrifice. That kind of emotion and powerful feeling gripped one’s heart, calmed their soul, and forged their determination.

To make it to this hall was an honor; they wouldn’t dishonor their service or those who were remembered here by doing less than giving their all.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Freighter O-41 (Wind Snapper)

In Transit to the Hellenic System

11/3556

The office Moretti paced up and down was getting smaller by the minute. He was totally sure of it. So much was going on, so much needed to be coordinated, but he never seemed to get any further down the list. Something came up, something else came in, and he was spread as thin as he ever could be.

He’d spent most of the last month making sure the VCF Promise and his people were safe. There’d been some tough decisions planetside and a few of them hadn’t wanted to be uprooted, even with all the hope that the new system of Emarl could bring. That meant he’d spoken in great length to some of them to bring them around. This had taken a lot of time, and he’d not minded doing it at all. Better than sitting, moping around the ship like a lost puppy. Even with all the training he was doing, he still felt sluggish and out of shape.

Staring at the 3D holo of everything and everyone on his list, he finally saw what a mastermind he truly was. A long time ago, he’d seen Hall doing something similar—watching the threads of coincidence, as he’d put it. Now it was his turn. Slowly but surely these threads were winding their way through to where they should be. Somewhere they could live new lives.

It had only been when talking to one of Masoul’s founding fathers that Moretti had wondered whether they’d all been doing the right thing. Not once had it crossed his mind beforehand. Convincing them, he’d re-convinced himself that this was for the best.

Now, tracing promise out of all those threads, he could see their progress and he felt all their panic and hard work paying off.

“Mark is still waiting for you to pick up,” his NIAI informed him.

Crap, he’d forgotten.

Sitting in his chair to calm himself a moment before he accepted Mark’s incoming call, he breathed in, out. Waiting for some other divine intervention that wasn’t going to happen.

“You good?” Mark asked.

“Yeah, you know.”

“That I do,” he replied. “I’ve got some updates for your ship—think that will brighten your day somewhat.”

Moretti felt himself smiling. “Charles?”

“Of course. Winging them over to you right now. Get the captain on it with your fabber and install it as quick as you can.”

Moretti received the files, and quickly passed them and the new instructions over to the captain. He opened them up and read through quickly, not understanding the science behind them, but seeing the math.

“That’s almost a whole two months earlier than we’d planned. You’ve no idea what a difference this might make to my goals in Hellenica.”

Mark’s voice came back clear. “Any news from your contacts?”

“It’s been a little quieter than I’d like. But, some of the operations need to be. There have been developments in and around the palace. Word on the streets is the Shadow Legion is waking, and I’ve been in close talks with Legate Zedra.”

“I thought you were trying to not be seen?”

“I got caught—no idea how when she’s so far behind everyone with the tech, but I did. I was introduced and we’ve had a few talks.”

“What’s her plan?” Mark’s interest piqued here, and Moretti sensed the bigger question.

“Waiting for her to make it. Like I said, I’ve seen movement that’s trying to sneak about under even my radar.”

“That’s impressive, if anyone can sneak past your eyes and ears.”

“Like I said, try.”

“Smartass.” Mark laughed. “See what else you can get from her, and let me know as soon as possible. I’m not liking Rimateus, and his recent ‘quiet,’ so we’re not waiting—we’re preparing.”

“That’s the best way. I haven’t heard from them in a while, so I’ll get in touch with Damus and see what’s been going on. I like to have both their views. Once I arrive, it will be much easier to complete some of my jobs.”

“I think we’ll both be more comfortable with you on the ground,” Mark replied. “Keep me posted on those upgrades. If you need anything else, just let me know, too. Charles knows you’re the top priority. Talk if you need.”

“Thank you.” And then he was gone. Moretti didn’t quite feel as hemmed in now. With the extra speed to get to Hellenica, he would move just as fast. Now he’d so much more to do. Quickly bringing up comms into the palace, he started with some of that organization.

There was no weight hanging over his shoulder any more, just sheer determination. Several families would be happier that he would get in sooner. With the way things were moving in Roma and some choices different families had made when Nerva was planning his leave, there were people who had changed their minds—they wanted out of Hellenica. Doing that and moving people to Emarl with the Union in the state it was might not be a good idea. He’d been trying to organize a couple of freighters and managed to get one. Couple that with the one he was in, he might have enough room. His gut instinct told him that once he was there he could judge it better.

The last thing he or Cassius would want was even more people to openly leave. Moretti hoped that Legate Zedra and her Shadows would be able to help put a stop to the madness creeping in. There were no answers to his communication requests, so instead Moretti made a move to leave his office and go talk to the captain and engineers.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Emperor’s Residence

Roma, Hellenic System

11/3556

Cassius was almost sure that Damus and Zedra would have received the same message he did, so he automatically made his way across the palace to his office. Damus was out of the grounds for a couple of days, but he’d sent him a quick message. “Heading to see Zedra. If you have time, we’ll confirm there.”

The message came back quickly. “Link me in.”

Cassius knocked on her door and she opened it.

“Get the same message?” She moved to step aside for him.

“I think we all did. Just waiting for Damus. He wishes to join us.”

Zedra moved to take a seat, indicating for Cassius to do the same. “You should get used to sitting. I know there’s a lot going on, but standing doesn’t do any of us any favors.”

Cassius took a seat before her and waited for Damus to indicate he was free.

Once they were secure, Zedra played the message. “As information comes through, it’s clear there’s several ships moving toward the Emarl system, ships that aren’t on the roster to arrive. No matter how the Victor Corp will take this, I’m taking it as a clear violation of terms. If those ships attack Emarl, there will be huge consequences. This is going out to all contacts.”

Zedra looked to Cassius first. “I know the signal and the location of this transmission aren’t available, but I think we all know who it came from.”

“Do you want him in on our conversation?”

“No, not yet.”

“I’ve reached out to four of my men. They’re confirming for me now that the message is correct.”

“So Rimateus is going after Emarl with guns blazing?” Damus asked.

“It seems so. In an underhanded way, but yes.”

“Do you have any idea how many ships?”

“I have confirmation on at least eight.”

Zedra then pulled up a file, and motioned toward Damus. “I’m going to pass all the information I have collected so far onto Moretti now. It seems that he’s not only trustworthy but that he’s got the legion and our people foremost in his mind. I had two families request that they speak with me a couple of days ago. When Nerva left, they’d asked to stay. Now they want to leave.”

Cassius noted Damus’s frown. “We don’t want anyone else to leave, no matter how scared they are, or how much they’re projecting our demise.”

Damus then sent on a report for Zedra.

When she opened it, she nodded. “Thank you. I’ll make sure that there’s enough food for the sectors out there.”

“Julio and Fabius have been keeping the peace well, but some of the locals are getting restless, they’re in dire need of supplies. If we can get them out there, this little problem I’ve been delegating will go away.”

“Then there’s this...” Zedra pulled up a list.

Cassius couldn’t see all the names of those who were on it, but he saw enough. “Are these the ones you’re wanting to eliminate?”

Zedra flicked through it, stopping on the one they all knew: Rimateus. “There’s also these two—Tertius and Hesra. Though I think Tertius and his more recent dealings have still been under the pressure of Rimateus, I think these two are the most important.”

“Hesra’s not returned yet.”

“No, but he’s slated for a trial when he does. I’m working on making sure that it’s public. I want everyone to see the internal workings of why Roma started to collapse in on itself. This will go down nicely with some of the other information and proof we have.”

Cassius looked out the window. He hadn’t wanted it to come to this. There was a great need for the evil to be wiped out from Roma, the senate, and those working to defeat her to make her something she originally wasn’t.

Damus coughed. “I have some other harrowing news...”

Cassius and Zedra turned to him, and though his image flickered, his face stayed stoic. “The reason why I left the palace and came out into the city.” He pushed a package over to them both. “I’ve been working closely with my own men to get to the bottom of this. I wanted to make sure this information was correct and try to stop it. Honestly, I think this operation needs to be handled just as quickly as Rimateus, but I think we need to bring in Mark Victor on this. This is something that, as a merger, he needs to know.”

Cassius opened the file, and the shock rushed through him like no other. “Fuck.”

Damus didn’t respond to the curse. “I’ve coordinated men to watch their base. I’ll return to the palace now that I’ve seen the outside for myself.”

“Do you have any information on how possible it is for him to create mergers? What will the Victor Corp’s reaction be to this?” Zedra pointed to the first line of the file. “‘Volunteers sought’?

“Come back to the palace. I’ll get back in touch with Moretti and we’ll ask him, before we let this information loose to Mark.”

“I agree. Just waiting on transport. I will be with you in less than a few hours.”

“I’m re-tasking Sertoria.” Zedra pulled up a comms channel. “Wait there till she arrives. Then return to us. Give her all that you need to for her to watch over this base.”

Cassius saw Damus’s face flicker. It wasn’t so much anger, but that there was a slight reason for distrust.

“She’s the only one I’d put there. Trust me, this isn’t for any other reason. If you didn’t have to return here, I’d be happy without her. But that...” She flicked to the next image of a body bag being removed from the facility. “That has me very worried.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Damus’s image faded.

Cassius watched Zedra carefully. “This changes thing, doesn’t it?”

“No, just a couple. I need to organize a few other operatives, and the sooner we speak with Moretti the better. This is now my top priority. The senate cannot ever, ever have control over these things.”

“Those things are some of the best men and women I’ve had the honor to get to know. They fight and continue to fight to protect people. That’s more than what I can say for Roma at present.”

This time it was Zedra who acknowledged her mistake, lowering her head. “Then I look forward to getting to speak with Mark. I’ll weigh up that comment later.”

Chapter Forty-Nine

Freighter O-41 (Wind Snapper)

In Transit to the Hellenic System

11/3556

Moretti had expected the next call. Leaving that message out for his contacts to get meant that Rimateus and those he was working with in the senate would too. It had to come from an anonymous source and he wanted it to look as though they weren’t threatened by this maneuver.

Cassius had been the one to reach out to him, and he sent back a quick message to agree to the meeting. “A few hours. I’ve a couple of things I’d like to get in before we talk properly.”

The truth of the matter was he didn’t just want to rush into this. Zedra was a very clever woman. He wanted to make sure that he was just as clever. To push her in the right direction hadn’t been any way near as easy as he’d liked. She’d asked all the right questions, prompted him in every single way that he might do to someone himself. He admired her a lot, but then he also knew that she couldn’t be underestimated.

Moretti wanted what was best now for his people—those from Masoul and those in Emarl, and those heading there. Zedra wanted what was best for the people of Roma, and he wasn’t sure what that meant for him just yet.

Even though the fabber had been working overtime, there were still a few things they needed and needed to do fast. Moretti knew some of what he wanted to do couldn’t be done like this. 3D holo meetings were good, but there was nothing like seeing someone in person.

At the knock at the door, he allowed the door to open. There was a little talking, and then someone left. Moretti checked the time. No doubt it was his food delivery. If he hadn’t had it regulated by his NIAI and the staff on the freighter, then he had no doubt in his mind there would have been many, many meals missed.

Cronus stepped inside, holding a tray of food.

“Taken to food delivery?” Moretti laughed and indicated the table.

Setting down the plate, Cronus smiled. “No. Just seemed wrong not to bring it in.”

“Anything I need to know?” Moretti picked up some rich-looking red meats and chewed while Cronus gave him a report on the ship’s upgrades. He listened, nodding when he needed to. Then waved a hand. “Thank you. We should be arriving within the time frame of our new schedule.”

“Anything else I can help with?”

Moretti shook his head. Hael’s son was inquisitive, but it would take him a lot longer than this trip to start to trust him, even if he knew the people on the ship had started to. He knew the young man was driven as crazy as he had been on this trip. “I’ll have lots of things for you to do, when we get into Hellenica,” he said. “We’re arriving earlier. Just keep your training up with the men below and as soon as we’re in the system, I will let you know your mission. For now, nothing is concrete, you understand.”

Cronus nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“I have got a very important meeting in the next few hours. Make sure that no one disturbs me.”

With a nod, Cronus left the room.

It seemed that the meeting was on time, and after quickly polishing off his meal, Moretti made sure he was sitting, waiting.

***

When the meeting comms came through, Moretti noted Felix and Damus’s grave faces from the start. But it looked as if Zedra was leading it completely, so he let her do the opening and then the talking. He listened.

“I thank you for the time to do the job I was in cryo for in the first place,” she said. “I would like you to know my findings as of today. Emperor Cassius and Legate Versanti have aided me with this decision. The list I am sending you is not only of those who are against what Roma stands for but those who are avid in defeating the Victor Corp, for whatever silly reasons they see fit. I’ve watched everything you sent me. I’ve seen Mark Victor and his mergers fight. I have seen what happened to them. I’ve also seen the cover-ups. The masks they are wearing cannot hide the sickness that is plaguing Hellenica and the Union. By the law which was created and I was put into cryo for, I am within the right to do as I now plan. I’ve started placing my legionnaires in key positions across not only Roma but its nearest allies. I believe that you will also be able to help with this coordinated takedown, Mr. Moretti?”

Moretti received the package she pushed over and opened the list. There were no huge surprises or names on it that he hadn’t expected to be there.

“I can and I will assist you.” Moretti looked at the emperor, waiting for his confirmation, but it was Damus who spoke.

“Legate Zedra and the Shadow Legion have our full backing. The truth will out,” Damus said.

Moretti watched as the emperor’s face reddened. “These rotten, filthy, good-for-nothing senators will be ripped from Roma in mere seconds. Zedra has everything I have at her disposal.”

“I will coordinate with her to make sure no one is left behind. No one shall escape.”

Zedra caught Moretti’s attention as she then pushed on another package. It took a moment to come through and he opened it as she spoke. “This one I know you will need to discuss with those in Emarl. Especially Mark Victor. Please assure him that this is our top priority. I have my own personal guard working with Legate Versanti on this.”

Moretti tried to hide his feelings on this new revelation, but he couldn’t help it. “Do you have any idea how close they could be to creating mergers of their own?”

Zedra shook her head. “I’m at present trying to get someone on the inside to talk. It’s a very secure area, and Damus has been very attentive in logging in their activities. Since we’ve only just discovered this, I’d like a little time to get in, get the information.”

“I don’t think you understand the severity of that situation,” Moretti said, trying not to let the rising anger in him show.

Cassius spoke clear. “We understand the severity of this, hence why we’ve come to you now, instead of trying to handle it ourselves. We’d like to speak with Mark, or you may do so on our behalf. Whatever we need to know to stop this, I ask that he forward it on. Anything he can give us.”

Moretti knew there was no information like that, that he would pass on. If there was a way to stop the mergers from being created, he already had that in motion and was probably the main reason that these underground scientists hadn’t completed their mission. But to give away anything else that might bring them down? No.

“Your intentions are noted. I will make sure he understands the situation fully.” Moretti turned to face Zedra a little more, watching her facial features closely as he said his next words. “Legate Zedra, if you get any inkling that those scientists have managed to create mergers, you wipe that base and anyone within a hundred miles off the face of the fucking planet. Understand me?”

She might not have taken any orders from him, nor did she have to listen or respond to this demand, but she did. “They will not complete their task. You have my word.”

“I will speak with Mark now. Are you waiting for me to come back to you, or would you be willing to speak with him yourself?”

“We shall wait for your return,” Zedra said. “I think the time to meet Mark isn’t now. I wish to prove to him that Roma can rise again.”

Moretti acknowledged them all and cut the meeting off. He was not looking forward to the next comm.

Chapter Fifty

VCF Moby

Sub-light Engines

Emarl System

11/3556

Ava was sparring, making the most of the last few days’ travel toward her home. She’d been elated that they were there, but the time passed so, so slowly it was driving her and the others crazy. They had so much going on, they were highly strung and easily stressed out. She knew the moment the comms had come in from Moretti and the information was passed to Mark; she’d felt his rage. Dropping her weapon too soon, she ducked just in time before her opponent managed to slice into her face.

“What is it?” he’d asked. But Ava was headed out the door, sweat dripping from her back.

She entered the office Mark was using, and panted out, “Link me in.”

When Moretti appeared before her, she feigned a smile while she settled her breath and stemmed the sudden rush of adrenaline.

“You have no way of getting in without Zedra?” Mark asked.

Moretti shook his head. “I don’t have anyone I’d put in that position other than Damus, and he’s got his best men there. We have to allow them time to do this.”

Ava now knew the gist of the conversation; Mark had Sarah pass the info across to her.

“What if they are close to creating their own?”

The next command burst through the net at incredible speed. “Charles, my office. Now.”

Even Ava felt the shock reverberate through everyone. Not just those closest to him—all mergers heard this and felt it.

Ava placed a hand on his shoulder. “We can deal with this. Look at Moretti.”

Mark focused in and his door flung open once more. “Sit,” he said to Charles, who immediately complied, sheer worry on his face.

Then, as Ava filled him in, he turned to Moretti. “They can’t make mergers, ever. I’m a hundred percent sure on that.”

Mark’s eyes met his.

“A thousand times sure, but...”

Ava’s stomach flipped.

“They can create monsters. I don’t know how advanced the science is but if you can get me anything from their systems, I’ll put some predictions together. But they won’t be mergers. Mark saw to that when he gathered up everything through the net.”

“Monsters?” Moretti asked.

“Yes, there’s enough tech to still complete something, if they get the combinations right. Maybe the nanites won’t strip their hosts alive. They might survive the process, but the brain’s not meant to go through that without some kind of help. Mark took all the information help from the net. The volunteers would be not only in severe pain from the process, but they won’t be able to put together their new brain pathways. Most would be more than likely a vegetable. In a coma, mush in the tank. Honestly, if any survived, it would be a miracle.”

“What are the chances of getting just one to survive the process?”

Charles looked to Moretti. “Almost a billion to one.”

“Then let us hope they don’t find that one before we can shut them down.”

Mark pointed back to the door, and Charles took it as his cue to leave. “Get me any more info you can. I’ll process it.”

Moretti nodded. “Will contact you directly. Thank you, Charles.”

When Charles had gone, Moretti could do nothing but stare as Mark’s mind seemed to wander about. Ava motioned for him to continue. “Zedra’s got a full plan in motion, Mark. She’s going to cleanse the Union of those who are corrupting it.”

“Are there a lot that needs to go?” Mark asked.

“Yes. Around two hundred instigators, and a good few thousand underneath them.”

“How did they spread so much evil? These people, how can they not back Roma’s beliefs?”

Moretti shook his head. “Most were brought up in different circumstances. Spoiled. They’ve not had to fight like their forefathers. That’s the biggest problem. They’ve been sitting on their asses, ordering men about, getting others to do the largest part of the work. While they just got rich. They’ve seen nothing of real war. Of the Maraukians.”

“It will be a coordinated hit?” Ava asked.

“Yes. It’s being maneuvered into place right now. They’ll not suspect anything.”

“Good. Rid the world of their shit, then we can go after the next problem,” Mark spat.

Ava turned to face him. “The Maraukians—they’re not getting to hurt anymore systems. The fight goes to them.”

Chapter Fifty-One

Station

Tricticus Orbit, Emarl System

12/3556

Pela wasn’t able to fully contain her nerves. After all, she had four months of hell on the station. Sleep schedule? What was that? You want to go to the bathroom, good! You can prove you know how to use your suit waste system! You didn’t ground yourself when you were using a wrench? I’ll let you spin for a bit and think on this!

Space was a bitch and she wanted to kill you any way possible. The teachers took it as their job to make sure that everyone knew this, that everyone feared and respected space.

If they didn’t, then it was a sure way to get killed.

There had been accidents in the schools on Tricticus and a few really nasty injuries. On the station, there were less overall injuries but the amount of deaths shot up. Any small issue was quick to kill here. These teachers did not fuck around.

They were on everyone’s ass as if they were babies. It grated on one’s nerves but only under this constant stress could someone be accepted. If they couldn’t handle this, then they wouldn’t be able to handle the stresses of their job, in the minds of their teachers.

Pela had made her decision before and now she stuck with it all the way; she gritted her teeth and listened.

It was only before they went into their final tests she saw another side of them. The side that cared for them so much that they wanted them to fail out or succeed. If they failed, then it was because they were an accident away from hurting themselves or others.

They did this out of care and responsibility to their students.

When doing their tests, they hadn’t nagged or yelled, just watched impassively.

Pela nearly jumped up as she got a message.

Gondi opened it for her and showed her what she wanted to see.

Her stomach did somersaults as she didn’t really believe it.

“Congratulations! You’ve passed,” Gondi said.

Pela let out a short laugh, feeling as if she was on some other plane of existence.

“Would you like to review the job openings that you can apply for?” Gondi sounded amused.

“Y-yeah.” Pela had looked at them before, but now, instead of just reading the descriptions, there was a button underneath with the simple word Apply written on it.

She could join the military branch with a large bonus and they would pay off her debt over a certain number of years unless she did it herself. There was danger pay but she would need to do some military boot camp. There was the station needing to expand, or the Yard, with multiple different positions that included specialist on-the-job training before she started.

Then there was working on Tricticus. The bonuses were a lot less but it was safer. Then there was the refinery, the supply ships, and the mining vessels that were out in the asteroid belt.

She sent messages out to her friends and then another to her family. She wasn’t happy with them, but she didn’t want to cut them out of her life.

She got messages from her friends and even Aileen sent her a message while on shift at the refinery. Aileen was a general flipper. She couldn’t make her mind up what job she preferred the most, and where money was involved, she did what most would. She took the higher pay.

Aileen stood next to some massive machinery and glowing hot metal. “Woo-hoo! You go, girl! Congratu-fucking-lations! When we getting beers? Lemme know what you’re doing—could always use a fellow Malazar over here at the refineries!”

Pela couldn’t help but laugh at the different messages coming in. It started to sink in as she jumped up from her bed and cheered. People looked at her with odd looks but smiled.

“Sorry!” She winced to the laughter of the others.

“Looks like someone passed,” an older man called Mink said with a teasing smile.

“Yup!” she said, not hiding anything.

“So, where you going?” The others in the room weren’t all from her training class and the training schedules were all different. Some of them, even if they were about to go to sleep after a long shift, perked up and came over to offer their congratulations.

Pela joked with them. Her friend group had grown even more.

She got a message from her parents as well.

Great. Tell us when you can come by for a celebration. The entire family will be there. She read the message as a flood of happiness filled her. She’d finally been recognized by her family for her achievements.

She could just imagine their proud smiles at seeing her coming back with her qualifications. She started to book a ride back down to see her parents as soon as possible. She’d take a week off and consider what job she wanted to take.

Chapter Fifty-Two

The Ark

Ark, Emarl System

12/3556

Charles and his engineering teams had been one of the first groups to find out just what the Ark was holding once Mark had revealed it.

Now that they had entered it and gained access to the AI systems that controlled it, they were awestruck.

There were five anti-matter reactors up and running. Multiple nuclear reactors and lightning rods served to power the facility.

There was plans for a sixth and larger anti-matter generator.

It had to be known that there were only twelve anti-matter creating facilities in all of the Roma Union and there was five of them just casually pushing out the powerful resource and storing it in secured bunkers.

There were facilities that produced only parts for the Pluto armor.

Forges that had been updated with the greatest software were creating not only the base items needed by the military but also the specialized merging-capable Gorgons.

Where they had been restrained before, the different science and engineering teams found that they had these shackles removed.

Charles looked over the development facilities. They weren’t the greatest, but that could change in the future. This was the center of innovation and with all of this at their disposal, he could see that their forward growth wouldn’t be small.

“All right, it’s time that we get started!” Charles clapped his hands together.

The people in the room all looked to him, reflecting his excitement. The AI in the facility started to create living quarters and seal up the different air locks, pumping in breathable atmosphere and warming the place up.

Jess, Maxine, Gomez, and Charles worked with teams to break down different ideas that people had been working on but were not possible before without these resources. One that quickly made it to the top was a supplementary system using anti-matter to be used with the Alcubierre drives, turning their average speed of one parsec in thirty-five days into possibly twenty-seven. It didn’t sound like much, but when most places were at least five parsecs away, those kinds of changes really added up.

Missiles using anti-matter artillery rounds and grenades for the mergers—they were all possible now.

These weapon loads weren’t seen outside of the Union and they were used sparingly, needing a planet’s legate to clear their usage. Many times, they lived on for decades, not being used.

Let’s just see what we can come up with. Charles looked at the people busily working on different boards, talking and discussing in groups. The ride down might have been horrible, but they would all do it dozens of times if it got them here—to this creator’s nirvana.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Crisidium

Tricticus, Emarl System

12/3556

The shuttle this time heading down to Tricticus had a fair few of them from the Yard, including the original mergers.

Ava sat across from Rachel, Evan, Polwell, and Dodger. They all had things to do on the planet and Mark had given them all downtime to do so. They were talking about the changes to Crisidium, and then to their own hometowns. They’d all seen the reports and the vids but finally getting to see it for real had their moods high. Amid the laughter and nerves Ava felt across the net, there was great joy and yet sadness for those not coming home.

Ava listened in as Rachel talked with Miles. She was going home, while he was going with Polwell to his. Ava knew Miles was an orphan and his adopted family was stationed on the Aegean gardens. He wouldn’t get to see them for a while just yet, so it was nice of Polwell to take him home to his family. There were, after all, many other things she was sure he could be doing. Looking around at them all, Ava knew they were all more than family. She was very glad to have them, and squeezed Mark’s hand, glad to have him.

Coming into the airspace above Crisidium, they were going to do two drops. Each group would then make their own way home, albeit by train, shuttle bus, or walking. Ava knew several of them needed to get a train, and that included Rachel.

“See you in a week,” Rachel said to Ava with a smile. “Enjoy it while we can, hey?”

Ava nodded, but on the inside, her stomach churned. The excitement would have kept her awake if she’d actually needed sleep the last few nights. Instead, all Mark had done was work her into exhaustion. She’d been glad he’d been there, or the last few days wouldn’t have gone anywhere near as quick.

Watching as they drew in, the fanfare and sheer amount of people who were waiting was astounding. Mark hadn’t been expecting it, but Ava had told him there would be a huge celebration for their return. Huge wasn’t the word for it.

Literally thousands of people lined the streets to see them fly in this time.

Mark stood with Ava. “Ready for this?” he asked.

Ava smiled. It was different than the last time they’d dropped out over the palace gardens. This time they were coming in at a different angle to see Crisidium and her people.

A huge show of respect for them was out there. The royal colors blazed from flags and buildings.

It made Ava very proud, and, glancing to Mark, she could only smile. Tears brimmed in her eyes and she fought very hard to keep her composure.

“Let’s do this,” she finally said.

Gripping his hand in hers, Mark gave it a squeeze.

Seconds later, they were both fully suited and ready. When the doors opened and they dropped above the city, this time they’d do a lap of honor. For all those who weren’t coming home, and for those out there to see their princess return.

The city itself now was brimming with greenery. Everywhere that Ava looked, something new had appeared; something that had been destroyed was now rebuilt and for the most part, she thought, much better for it.

Finally turning in to the palace gardens, Ava let her suit go, hopping to the ground before her parents. The guards, having seen it previously, were a little more prepared than before. Mark landed beside her; Ava reached for his hand, then the two of them walked to where her parents waited.

Ava had known doing this would cause a raised eyebrow from her father, and it did just that. But it was her mother who grinned as she rocked the stroller before her.

“Welcome home,” Hael said.

Ava dropped Mark’s hand, and moved quickly to her father. He wrapped her in his arms for that hug he’d said he’d wanted. Even though she was much taller than him, it didn’t stop her. Ava tried not to cry, but this time she couldn’t stop it.

“There, there, little princess,” Hael whispered to her.

Ava didn’t want to pull away, but she knew her mother also wanted a hug.

Thia also hugged her hard. “You and Mark, hey?” she said, looking up into her eyes.

Ava stopped her cheeks from flushing, but she couldn’t help the tiny giggle that escaped her lips. “Took me a long time to get him to come around, but yeah.”

A gurgle came from the stroller, and Ava’s attention drew to her younger siblings. “They’re so small.” She dropped to one knee to get a better look inside.

“Actually, they’re growing fast.” Thia laughed.

Ava couldn’t help it; she wanted to hold them, but they looked so warm, snug. Turning around, she noticed her father and Mark talking and she wanted to step in.

Her mother touched her arm. “Leave them to it. Your father will be making sure you’re all right, nothing more.”

“I…” Ava met her mother’s eyes, but stopped herself with a nod. She had no doubt they had a lot to discuss in many ways, and she knew their relationship would be on that list.

“Come,” Thia said. “Let’s get these two inside so you can have a proper cuddle. I know they look nice and peaceful but they’ll want feeding soon and I think that’s just the job for you.”

Ava’s heart melted. “Really?”

“You won’t break them, Ava.” Her mom laughed. “You might be a merger, and I still don’t understand everything about that, but you’re still you.” She tugged her arm and Ava strolled away with her mother, leaving Mark and her father to follow. At first they didn’t, seemingly very interested in their conversation.

“Come inside,” Thia called to them. “We can all sit down and talk much better than in the open.”

Thia had their family room made up and ready for their arrival. Warm drinks and snacks were laid out for them all. The larger family dinner would be later, where they could sit, eat, and talk the night away. This was for just them, and she was quick to get the babies bottles before they realized. Ava watched as her mother picked out Akai, obviously her sister as she was bundled in a soft pink wrap.

“Here you go. I’ll take Kail. He can be cranky if you don’t quite hold the bottle right.”

Ava took her now awake sister and, sitting down with her, placed the bottle to her lips. Looking into her eyes, nothing but pure love filled her veins. She’d held many babies over the years, but this tiny little one was part of her family. She wanted to do everything for her—protect her, love her—and then suddenly the idea that she’d be leaving her home surfaced and that hurt. Ava knew her feelings had seeped across to Mark. She looked toward him, now in even deeper conversation with her father. Mark’s eyes said everything she needed; they’d talk later, no doubt, but he let her know how much he cared by nothing but love crossing back to her.

Ava watched her mother pick Kail up and sit before her, his bottle soon in hand and the gurgling baby happily feeding.

This was everything she’d imagined and so much more.

Listening to Mark and her father, she tried not to let her wandering thoughts and emotions drift his way again. It took Mark awhile to update him, but eventually their conversation seemed to drift to more personal things.

“So,” Hael said eventually, and loud enough for her to look over at the two of them. “You’re together?”

Ava sought help from her mother, but she just smiled and stood. “Let’s put them down for a nap.”

Ava swallowed as Mark answered for her with nothing more than a simple, “Yes.” That wasn’t going to be good enough for Hael, though, and Ava knew it.

She followed her mother out of the room, catching her father’s next question: “Do you intend to marry my daughter?”

Ava felt her heart skip, though she knew it hadn’t. They’d not discussed anything like this, and she suddenly panicked, thinking that this would be Mark’s way out. She couldn’t stick around for the answer. Moving quickly to where her mother had gone, she let her thoughts race, but focused on carrying her sister, without her grip being too tight.

***

Mark had known the question would arise. He’d no doubt about it that Hael, as a father, would want what’s best for his daughter. The fact that she was a merger had been pushed aside. The man before him looked deep into his eyes, searching for something that Mark wasn’t so sure he could give.

“Do you intend to marry my daughter?” Hael asked again.

Mark couldn’t tell the man he’d no intentions of anything with Ava, that she’d just never relented with her feelings. That showing him how much she cared and loved him without needing anything in return, without remorse for it, had eventually allowed him to see his own feelings. Mark didn’t want to disappoint her, or her family. Remembering the day that Alexis and Tyler got married, remembering how happy it made them, all of them, he realized then he wanted that. He wanted much more than that. Sectioning off those thoughts and feelings, Mark looked at High King Hael Desialias and replied, his voice cracking, “If you would allow me to take your daughter’s hand, I would be honored if she were to become my wife.”

Hael nodded. “You’ve not talked about it, though?”

Mark answered honestly. “There’s a lot of things we’ve not actually talked about.”

“It may have started out as a life debt to you, but I can see the way she looks at you and in turn you at her. I can’t ever say I’ll know what you’ve been through together, but you made it out alive, together. I am grateful for that. When you ask her to marry you, you have my permission.”

Mark didn’t know whether he was relieved or what worried him more: to have Hael’s blessing, or to know that Ava half heard the conversation on leaving the room.

***

It seemed that now Akai wasn’t going to settle. Her mother had put Kail into his bed and he was asleep before she tucked him up. Ava rocked with Akai and waited for her to settle but she wasn’t.

Thia moved to take her, but Ava held on tight. “Could you give us some time together?” she said.

Thia nodded. “Take all the time you need.” Pulling her daughter to her, Thia kissed her cheek. “I’ll make sure the boys have been behaving. I think your father will have broken out the drinks by now. Come down when you’re ready.”

Ava rocked back and forth with her sister; she wasn’t crying, just agitated and not sleepy. Maybe she felt the emotions from her, or maybe there had been just too much excitement for her.

Now time passed and she let it. The sun set, and moonlight trickled in through the window, illuminating both her siblings’ beds. Finally, little Akai calmed down and Ava was able to put her to rest properly.

Then her thoughts turned back to Mark and their relationship. To that question he’d been asked as she was leaving the room. Her father had poked a little bit at Mark after her parents had intercepted them holding hands. It had turned quite a few heads. The guards didn’t know where to look either. Without them actually even saying anything, it had been made clear that they were together. It hadn’t been planned, but it was one solid way of letting them both know something else was going on between them.

Ava tried to laugh it off, but now she was filled with even more sadness. Moving to the window, she found the door easy to slide open with her passcodes. Out at this height, there was likely no one would break in, but they were still cautious. She moved onto the balcony and sat, the wind caressing her hair. The night was cool, but not cold enough for her nanites to warm things up.

The lights and movements from the city before her kept her eyes busy, but her mind wandered all the more.

She’d no idea how much time had passed when the door behind her moved and she turned to look up into Mark’s deep eyes.

“Thought I’d best come get you. You’ve been up here over an hour.”

Ava looked back out to the skyline. “Sorry, it just got away from me.”

***

Mark reached down, took her hand in his, and tugged her up into his arms. Ava was sobbing against him within a moment.

Picking her up and holding her against him as he walked, Mark made his way back through the corridor.

“Sarah?”

“Take the next left and her bedroom is second on the right.”

Ava didn’t move; she clung tight to him. Mark noticed Hael at the top of the stairs. Their eyes met and he didn’t need to be connected to the man to know the pain that flittered over his eyes. Mark couldn’t let her know this, or see it. So he kept walking, and took her to her room.

There was nothing he could do but hold onto her while she cried. There in the darkness, Ava finally let out her grief—grief for Chyna, for all they’d lost, and then for what she’d lost in giving him her humanity. Mark had never once thought she’d have regrets, never once thought she’d change her mind on wanting children. After all, he’d met women over his lifetime who had, and who had made sure it was impossible to get pregnant.

Now he knew she’d not really thought about it, that she’d been impulsive and courageous, and more a heroine than she’d possibly ever think she was. But here now and in pain, there was something about this moment in time that he never wanted to happen again.

There while he held onto her, he spoke in low, hushed tones, telling her how much he loved her, and he really did. Without thinking this time, with a more natural response, he let his mind speak to hers in full. As the connections were made, and Ava finally started to respond to him, she looked up and into his eyes. Then she kissed him, melting into him like no one else ever could.

He felt complete with her. He’d do everything he could to make her sadness go away. Even if it were only for short periods of time.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Fornau

Tricticus, Emarl System

12/3556

Pela hopped onto the waiting shuttle. She was surprised to see a beautiful woman sitting there with her head tilted back, asleep. She wore Pluto armor but had her helmet hooked to her chest.

A merger from the Vanguard!

Shock ran through her system. She had heard of them before and the troopers she had trained with talked of them in hushed and respectful tones.

They seemed as if they weren’t human: they were neither human nor machine, but something else and something more powerful than both by themselves.

She stopped staring and quickly got into her own seat on the shuttle and strapped in.

There was no atmosphere in the shuttle but the merger was just sitting there, asleep, without any signs of oxygen deprivation.

The other people on the shuttle got in and locked their harnesses, leaving the merger some room.

The combat shuttle took off, closing its rear hatch and heading toward Tricticus.

The shuttle bucked and shook. The merger’s head lolled forward. The ride smoothed out as they entered Tricticus’s atmosphere; they reached a few cities, dropping and picking up people.

It wasn’t long until they were on their approach to Fornau city.

“Landing in five.” The pilot’s voice carried to everyone in the rear of the craft.

The merger woke up, clearing her throat and stretching lazily.

The shuttle started slowly descending toward the ground.

The merger grabbed her helmet as the shuttle landed. She pulled it on as the rear of the shuttle opened. A wave of heat hit everyone with the dry taste of the desert.

The woman unlocked her harness as Pela did the same and stepped for the ramp. Just as it touched the ground, the woman walked off it and then shot off into the sky.

Pela stopped her steps in shock. Anti-gravity systems built into her suit. Pela looked at where the woman had gone and continued on her path.

“This time last year, I would have no idea what anti-gravity systems were,” she said, laughing to herself.

She made her way to the edge of the shuttle pad. There were no passengers here to pick up, so the combat shuttle set off before Pela reached the end, sending sand pillowing around her.

She got out of the pad and saw a group of her family members waiting for her. Her mother and father greeted her with smiles, but she felt something was off.

I’ve been away for a long time, and we did fight—it would be odd if everything was okay.

Her father took her bag and even the elders greeted her humbly with a smile. They moved out of the area around the shuttle pad to where they had a caravan of animal-pulled carriages waiting for them.

Pela’s smile was tight. She knew what to expect but it still felt as if she had stepped back in time, going home.

They got into the carriage as Pela looked around the city. Her eyes fell on the technology that had started appearing in different places. It looked like the poor and noble people had both upgraded.

Thinking back on her time in the schools, she saw that it was mostly the people who didn’t have options who were likely to succeed and put in the most effort.

Those from noble or backgrounds of power relied on their power and their name for their position.

The carriage ride was quiet but she spent her time looking at the city she hadn’t seen in months and the changes it had gone through.

The carriages quickly passed through the city, their drivers not stopping for anyone. They made it to the central areas of the city and one of the larger compounds to be found there.

The carriages entered; a few people stood on the steps into the main hall.

Her mother and father got out ahead of her.

“Greet the grand elder,” her mother said, as they stopped in front of the kind, smiling man.

“Grand elder.” Pela bowed to the man. She had seen him before but his position was still above hers.

“Welcome home. I hope it will be a fruitful time.” The old man smiled.

Pela smiled back, finding his words a bit odd but happy to be greeted by someone of his position. It showed how the family looked to her as a pillar of strength now.

She bowed a bit deeper, finally feeling that sense of triumph she wanted.

The elder looked to her parents. As she was bowing, she couldn’t see the stern look on his face.

“Make sure that all of the preparations for tonight do not go wrong.”

Pela came up out of her bow, seeing the grand elder turning around and leaving.

Her mother and father bowed to the grand elder before looking to each other and then Pela. Still, there was something off but their smiles hid it away.

“Come on, let’s get you showered and into something comfortable. I have some new clothes from the market that should fit you well!” Her mother took her away as her father looked to her bags.

***

Pela felt incredibly relaxed. Her mother was still confused by the NIAI on Pela’s arm, asking whether she could take it off. Pela tried to explain she couldn’t, leading to her mother asking whether it sent messages.

Pela smiled, shaking her head at her answer. “Yes, but only when I let it.”

“Oh, well, that’s good.” Her mother seemed a bit relieved before she helped to clothe her with all new items she bought.

After the clothes from the Victor Corporation, even these fine clothes felt a bit rough. She also missed her space suit. She’d lived in it for four months and although it felt good to be out of it, it was familiar and she found herself reaching for her pockets but only finding parts of her dress.

“It’s dinner time.” Her father knocked on the door.

“All right—I’ll be right out!” Pela went to the door. Her father stood there; he looked her over before nodding to himself.

“Father,” she greeted, still feeling some of the tension between them.

“Come. Dinner is about to be served and we have an important guest coming afterward.” He led her toward one of the main halls.

It had been set out with different tables. The family was spread out over the different seats. Pela was guided by her father up to the top table. She felt a few vicious looks on her; in the clan, people were always looking to try to beat one another to get into the higher positions.

She didn’t pay them any attention; if she had, she might have seen the cold smiles on their faces.

“Come, let us drink a toast, to my daughter returned.” Her father procured two cups and handed her one.

Pela smiled as they drank deeply.

“Come on, being outdone by an old man like me? Come on, this wine will change your life!” Her father smiled.

Pela drank all the remaining wine and let out a gasp.

Her father took the cup and checked inside. “You really did drink it all! Seems in the end you come around to reason!” He laughed, putting the cups on the table as Pela frowned at his words.

It wasn’t long afterward that the elders appeared at the main tables.

Everyone stood and bowed in greeting to them. There were only three of them, but they were all close to her father, it seemed, by the way that they interacted.

“You’ve done well to raise a daughter such as this one,” one commented.

“It is understandable that she has a fighting spirit. It has made her very sought after by the men in Fornau.” Another laughed as Pela looked away awkwardly.

“She will bring great merit to our clan and raise us up within the city,” the third said.

“You are all too kind. She is a bit stubborn, but it looks as if the withheld fruit is more powerful than what is given freely,” her father said with a self-deprecating smile.

“The guests are soon to arrive. I hope that you will be able to greet them,” one of the elders said, looking to Pela with a smile.

“Yes, Grand Elder.” Pela bowed to the older man.

He nodded appreciatively and the three grand elders moved to their positions.

Her father quickly moved to her. “All right, nothing must go wrong. We’ll greet the guests by the front door,” her father hastily said in her ear.

She was happy that she had been able to get him recognized by these powerful people. Quickly she moved to the door, hoping to make him proud and increase his favor with the grand elders.

She didn’t have to wait until a set of carriages pulled up. She didn’t see the crests clearly in the darkness of night, but it wasn’t long until a familiar man stepped down from the lead carriage. Her skin crawled as she looked at him.

She also felt a chill and then a warmth spread through her body. Her vision started to swim.

“Gondi, is something wrong?”

“Running diagnostic. You seemed to have ingested a hallucinogenic, which has the effect of making it hard to form words or remain control of your body,” Gondi reported after a few moments. By that time, the man was closer and even in her swimming vision, she could make him out.

The third master of the Holga family, the adulterer Orel.

Pela looked to her father, who gave Orel a welcoming smile.

“Orel, to have a fine man like you as my son-in-law, then I will only be too happy!” Her father clapped the man on the shoulders.

Pela couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She tried to say something, but her mind was swimming.

“Father-in-law is too kind. To be married to a rare beauty such as your daughter can only be every man’s dream!” Orel laughed and looked over to Pela with a cruel light in his eyes.

“Come! Let us start the marriage ceremony, joining our houses!” Her father laughed.

Orel linked his arm around Pela, pulling her into motion as she stumbled forward, barely stopping herself from falling over. Orel kept her upright by strength alone.

“Thought that you would get away from me, Pela? I thought that you were only fruit to be plucked, but as you tried to escape me, I wanted to capture you all the more. The ridiculous lie of becoming a person of the Victor Corporation—did you think any would listen to you? It might be a great price to acquire you, but I will use you up and make you my woman so that no other will want you,” he whispered viciously in her ear. To the others, it looked as if two lovers were talking.

Pela stumbled.

“Oh my dear, watch your step.” Orel laughed good-naturedly as the others laughed in agreement.

It’s not a celebration, it’s a forced wedding ceremony where Orel wants to make me his woman! Pela’s thoughts raced and fear welled up in her.

“Gondi, I need help please!”

Her world was falling apart as her body was even losing normal function.

***

Rachel Donark had only been home once after becoming a merger. Her mother had looked at her new body and although she had been sad at what her daughter lost, she was still her daughter.

Rachel’s family wasn’t rich; in fact, they were rather poor. Still, they had all joined the military to try to defend their home. They’d become a family with a name. The Donarks held; they fought tooth and nail, leading from the front, and the people who followed them respected them.

Their home was still humble, but now it had much more technology add-ons as her brothers and sister had chosen to join the Victor Corporation, either in the military or as civilian contractors.

All of her family still had a home here.

Her brother’s and the neighborhood children all laughed and played around with one another. They kept on checking out Rachel’s Pluto armor that was over in the corner. Rachel would have them come over to her one by one, using her nanites to check on their health and place a seed of healing nanites in them. In case they had a medical emergency, it could help save their lives or alert a medic.

“Brush your teeth, you stinky brat!” she said to the latest one running away.

The adults all laughed as they sat around the fire, drinking wine, talking about this and that and looking up to the stars. Their world had changed so much in the last few years, but still they had one another and could get together with a few drinks and feel like it was fine.

“How they treating you?” one of the older ladies asked.

“Treating her well—she gets her own base and that thing. She’s got the high life.” Her brother pointed at the Pluto armor.

“Shut up, Trav.” Rachel laughed, shaking her head and hitting him in the shoulder.

“He’s just annoyed that his baby sister can beat him up now,” Rachel’s mother said.

“Momma!” Trav complained.

The others laughed and Trav could only sit back, looking up and shaking his head as he drank to the unfairness of it all.

“How’s the Yard?” Rachel asked. Her brother had gone another route but signing up to the Victor Corporation right away and pushing himself. He was one of the first batches to graduate.

“It’s good. We’re busy as hell with everything. Heard that a bunch of mergers are going to be helping us out in the coming weeks, which should really speed things up. That nanite tech is seriously useful.” Trav’s tone turned serious.

“What do you think of the Victor Corp?” Rachel asked.

“What are you, some background checker?” Trav grinned.

“Just want to know my elder brother’s thoughts.”

“They’re good. If it was some other group, from what I’ve learned with my NIAI, we wouldn’t have stood a chance and they would’ve taken over. They’re not trying to be everything in the system and they’re bringing us a lot of jobs and opportunities we haven’t had in the past. I don’t know where it will lead but I’m happy that they’re here and doing what they’re doing. That said, I hope they’re not the only show in the system. Would be nice to have a few more companies, maybe get some more platinum.” Trav winked.

“Money grubber,” Rachel complained, happy to hear that her brother was doing well and he enjoyed what he was doing.

She was just about to open her mouth when her NIAI interrupted her.

“I know you’re busy, but one of the Victor Corporation personnel in the area is asking for immediate assistance.”

“What did they do?” Rachel was part of the Victor Corporation, so if they were in trouble, as the person on site, it was best if she got with the authorities and relayed the information back to whoever was in charge of the person.

“They’re being forced into a marriage.”

Rachel stood and her expression turned severe. Her suit started to power up.

“Integrate.” Information from the person started to fill her mind.

“I need to go somewhere,” Rachel said. Her suit rushed forward, opening and then closing around her.

“Something wrong?” her brother and everyone asked, in alarm.

“Something in-city—helping a Victor Corporation employee.” With that, her helmet covered her face and she shot upward, throwing dust around.

She looked to the location. It was located inside the city, in the Oina clan compound.

She shot forward. No one saw her before she slammed through a roof, caving it in as she dropped to the ground.

People screamed and dove everywhere as guards started to move toward Rachel.

***

Pela heard the roof coming in as she was just a few feet from the elders’ table. All of them were looking at her and Orel with smiles as she cursed them all inside her heart.

It seemed that there was no one coming.

“Duck.”

Pela had been working with Gondi for months now; she relied on him and listened to him instinctively. It had saved her from being hurt many times in the past.

She went limp and tried to cover herself as much as possible.

Orel’s face turned to one of anger when something massive ripped through the roof of the hall and slammed into the ground.

People were screaming and yelling, running to all corners of the room. The object was moving; its feet could be heard moving through the rubble.

“Pela Oina, Practical Engineer graduate Malazar Skill School with specialization in EVA space maintenance?” The woman’s voice cut through the hall.

Pela tried to make a noise.

“Who the fuck are you? Do you know—” Orel’s voice was cut off by a choking noise.

Pela felt the gravity in the room increase. She pushed herself over, looking at the room.

People were all looking at horror at the Vanguard merger who was holding Orel.

With a flick of her hand, she tossed him to the side. “Wasn’t talking to you, was I, rapist?”

Orel hit the wall with a scream. His legs shattered as he dropped to the floor.

The woman moved to Pela and took a knee.

“This is the Oina clan! How dare you come in here unannounced!” a grand elder yelled as guards started to enter the room.

“Hello. Just going to give you some nanites,” the Vanguard lady said. Nanites appeared on her hand. As she pressed them to the base of Pela’s neck, they ran through her system, clearing her mind.

“Thank you,” she said shakily.

“Who are you!?” The grand elder’s veins popped out as he challenged Rachel.

“Rachel Donark, company warrant officer of the Vanguard, merger, part of the military branch of the Victor Corporation.”

The man seemed as if he were making some connections as Rachel stood.

“Under the Council of Tricticus, all of you here will be charged as an accessory to forced bondage and rape. Also charged with endangering another’s life.” The merger’s words were sharp and perfunctory. “Don’t worry—I’ve already recorded all of your identities. Don’t try running. We’ll find you. We control the heavens, after all. Now, Pela, shall we get out of here?” Rachel yelled.

“We are one of the governing clans of Fornau!” a grand elder yelled. It seemed like to all of them that Pela’s connections were much more than what they had thought. Many showed regret. If they had remained amicable, then what benefits might they have gained?

Rachel chuckled. “Not for long.” Her voice made those in the room shiver as Rachel helped Pela to her feet.

“Guards!” The elder’s voice had an almost cocky tone to it. The guards pointed their weapons at Pela and Rachel.

Rachel paused her steps.

“This is the clan of Oina. What we do is not the business of outsiders.” He sneered.

“Well, fucker, she’s Victor Corporation.” Rachel’s M20s snapped up along her arms. As she waved them from her back to her front, they fired so fast they seemed to be one.

“Ah shit, looks like you don’t have any more guards. My bad.” Rachel’s tone was still playful as the elder’s face paled. All the guards had been hit by the rounds with so much force that the water in their bodies had turned to gas and caused them to explode.

Pela was alarmed. She had heard of the mergers’ ability to fight and the Vanguard were reapers on the battlefield. Now that she saw this woman kill thirty people in less than a split second, her aiming and control so precise that she only hit the guards and nothing else, it made her mind go numb. Death was normal to someone from the clans and those who had lived through the Maraukians.

“Shall we, Pela?” Rachel asked.

“Please.” Pela walked out with Rachel into the darkness of the night.

“Let’s get your gear back,” Rachel said.

With Rachel leading the way, no one got in their way. Pela heard the sound of ships whistling through the air just a few minutes later as no less than five drop-ships cordoned off the Oina clan compound. Troopers and people from the Tricticus council dropped on cables, and moved to seal off the compound.

Pela grabbed her clothes in numb shock at what had happened. She found her mother, with most of the items littered about.

“Pela—” her mother said.

“You’re no mother of mine,” Pela said.

“Don’t say—”

“Fuck you. My life is my own. I’m no Oina, anymore. I’m a Nault,” Pela said. Nault was the last name given to those raised in Fornau by the orphanages.

Pela ripped away her gear and stuffed it into the duffel bag.

Her mother tried to step close to her when Rachel directly walked through the wall.

“Stand back. Hasn’t she made it clear she doesn’t want anything to do with someone as twisted as you?” Rachel’s disgust was clear as Pela cleared up the last of her gear and left the room.

“Pela!” her mother yelled out. It seemed as though she were crying, but Pela didn’t care. Toward her family, she felt nothing but anger.

They exited the compound, meeting with the representatives of the council and the troopers who had been on quick reaction from the station.

Rachel talked to them as the city guard arrived, coming under the command of the council members.

The troopers were backup as the council members grimly marched in to dole out arrests.

Rachel turned to Pela and pulled off her helmet. “Want some food? My mother makes some mean soup.” Rachel smiled.

“Thanks.” Pela was struck by how different Rachel was compared to the warrior princess inside the hall.

“No worries!” Rachel grabbed Pela’s bag. “Bit of a walk from here. What do you do? Other than all of the titles?”

“I, uh, don’t know,” Pela said, a bit caught off by the question as they walked away. Rachel was a calming presence, like an older sister who didn’t seemed to worry about the world around her.

“Well, isn’t that something you should know?” Rachel joked, looking at Pela.

“I just graduated. I was coming here for a celebration. I thought that they wanted to congratulate me, not marry me off to that pig.” Pela’s fists balled together, wishing that she could get a few hits in on Orel.

“So what do you want to do?” Rachel led them farther from the center of the city and toward the outside.

“Something far from here, something where people need me and I can rely on others. Something near my friend working in the refinery station,” Pela said.

“Well, you want to work in the refinery?”

“Nah.” Pela shook her head.

“What about with the miners?”

Pela was silent for a long time as she thought it over. Rachel looked back but continued going, letting her mull it over.

It seemed to have struck a chord with Pela.

“Are you related to the Donark family?” Pela asked finally. She had heard of the Donark family, who had become a bulwark and wall for Fornau.

“Yeah, that’s my bunch,” Rachel said with a laugh and smile.

Pela’s heart dropped, wishing she would look like that when thinking of her family.

“Just wait till you meet Momma Donark.” Rachel patted her shoulders.

It was kind of awkward with how tall Rachel was.

Pela smiled up at Rachel.

As they walked, Pela found that being a miner sounded like a good idea. She used Gondi, and applied to be a maintenance engineer on one of the mining teams.

She would need to go through a time of adjustment with the teams to make sure that she fit and then time to adjust to the job; then she could be working by herself.

It was a new adventure and it made her feel good to be as far from her family as possible.

They entered a square where there were kids playing around a tree. There was a fire in the middle of the area with some people making food, others watching a movie projected on a wall and others drinking wine around the fire.

“Where’d you go?” a man’s voice called out.

“Brought a guest. Pela, meet my family.” Rachel looked to an older-looking lady.

“Momma, this is Pela. Pela, Momma,” Rachel said, doing the introductions.

“It’s good to meet you, Pela.” Momma Donark’s smile brought crinkles out near her eyes.

“If you want, you can stay here. You’ll be safe. I don’t need that much sleep, after all. Otherwise, I can get you on a ride back to the station with the troopers,” Rachel said.

“I can get a hotel. I want to go to Malazar before I leave,” Pela said.

“Nonsense! We’ve got plenty of food here to get you filled up! And drink! Look at you, worked to the bone! You can have Rachel’s bed. She just sits out here, looking at the stars all night anyway!” Momma Donark waved that away. The unapologetic woman grabbed the bag from Rachel and waved Pela forward.

“Uh,” Pela started.

“You’ll be safe. You have my word as a Vanguard.” Rachel smiled.

Pela didn’t fight. Right now she wanted to be cared for, but she didn’t want to break down here. She was touched as she hung her head.

Momma Donark squeezed her hand as they made it to the Donark house, a simple dwelling. Momma Donark hugged Pela.

Pela was shocked by the action and felt the numbness falling away a bit. “W-what was that for?”

“I’m Momma Donark—I know when someone needs a good hug.”

Pela bit her lip and her arms moved around Momma Donark. She buried her head in her shoulder. She was a strong but wiry woman, a woman who had lived through hardships, unlike her soft and fragile mother.

Momma Donark was right: sometimes you just needed a hug to make the world a bit nicer.

Chapter Fifty-Five

Fornau

Tricticus, Emarl System

12/3556

Pela had woken the next day in the strange house and with the family of Rachel Donark. It had taken her a while to drift off. She’d messaged Aileen and Ashaeed, with a brief note about what had happened and her decision for her future. The quietness of the room and the strange smells had kept her awake for a while, but she’d eventually realized she’d needed sleep, and sleep that came with nothing needed from her. This was something so different, so peaceful.

A knock at the door made her push herself up out of the warm bed cover. “You awake in there?” Rachael’s voice came through to her.

“Yes,” she said, “come in. It’s your room.”

Rachel slipped inside, her large frame only just getting through the door. “Sleep okay?”

Pela nodded as a couple of messages came through for her from her friends. “It’s okay. You can see what they are.”

Rachel moved around her room, picking up things that she obviously wanted.

Pela opened her messages. First were several from her family and those she didn’t want to speak with.

“Gondi,” she said, “get rid of them, and block all other incoming messages or comms. I am no longer part of their family and they need to learn this.”

Gondi acknowledged her and then did as she asked.

Pela looked to Aileen’s message first.

“Oh my God. I can’t believe it! Thank God you were saved, and by who... Man, I wish I could be there to meet her—she sounds amazing! Why don’t I meet you back in Crisidium? We can stay in a hotel, do some fun things before we leave. Message me back and let me know as soon as you can. My family will be fine with it.”

Pela smiled. Knowing at least that Aileen really cared was something else. In fact, Pela was overwhelmed at the genuine concern from everyone.

Gondi came back into her mind. “There were several sections interested in your applications, but I think the one closest to Aileen will be better for you.”

“Then I’ll take it,” she replied, not realizing she’d said it aloud.

“You’ll take what?” Rachel asked.

“Oh.” Pela laughed. “Sorry, I’ve been offered an opportunity at a mining station, near my friend. So, I’m going to take it.”

“That’s great news.” Rachel moved to sit in a chair opposite her. “Will you need to stay here for a few days? I don’t mind and Momma was really glad of someone younger to feed up yesterday.”

Pela let out a slight groan. The sheer wonderful nature of Rachel’s mother had her eating everything the older woman put in front of her, and that meant seconds of dessert too. Pela patted her stomach. “She gonna try to do that at breakfast?”

Rachel laughed. “You betcha.”

Pela slid out of bed and moved to grab her clothes. She noticed Rachel eyeing her, and felt suddenly conscious of it.

“You’re gonna be okay, right?” Rachel asked.

Pela slipped a shirt over her head, and then pulled on some trousers, fastening them even though they were slack against her waist. “Yeah, I am.”

Rachel moved to her wardrobe. “Here, there’s a lot in here that I’m never going to get to wear again. You want to take them with you?”

Pela stared into the rack of clothes. There were handmade items of stunning quality. “Where did you get these?”

“Momma, of course. She always wanted me to be a girly girl. But I never was. Used to drive her nuts, out playing with my brothers, getting into fights.”

Rachel plucked out a trouser and shirt set with beautiful glistening gems. “They’re not real, nothing is in here, but they were handmade for me.”

Pela took the garments and ran a hand over them. “They’re beautiful. I’d feel guilty taking them, though.”

“No, I’m not taking that as an answer. Just promise me one thing,” she said.

Pela raised an eyebrow at her.

“That you try to fit them better.”

Pela looked down at herself. “I’m under orders from the Victor Corp—and Gondi, my NIAI, is also on guard. I’m not letting my health or lack of nourishment have them kick me out.” Pela glanced at the bedroom door. “I can smell Momma’s cooking already. Bring it on.”

“Good. Then might I suggest you pick out the things you don’t want in your bag. Get rid of the past, the old you. And...” Rachel indicated the wardrobe. “Take a little from the Donarks.”

“Thank you.”

“Breakfast is ready! Come and get it!” Momma called.

“No need to thank me. Was nice to have you here for a night. Besides, I get the feeling that I’ll see you again, someday.”

“I’d like that,” Pela said.

***

Aileen had told her she would meet her at the shuttle station. That meant that she’d have to start to do many things for herself, like organize a shuttle off Tricticus, to her new home.

Gondi backed her up, and with a very full belly once more, she’d said good-bye to Rachel and the Donark family, getting the biggest hug off Momma again.

“You give me a call anytime, young lady,” Momma whispered in her ear.

Rachel had made sure she was on the train and not bothered by anyone. She would have taken her back to the city, but she wanted to spend some good quality time with her family and Pela could understand that.

“Just like Momma said, you need anything, you can comm me too.”

Pela looked into the eyes of that large woman. The very commanding nature of the legionnaire and fighter from the Vanguard just oozed not only that nature, but warmth and friendship.

“I don’t know what to say.... Really, thank you just doesn’t seem like it’s ever going to be enough.”

“Just be the best you can. No,” she said. “Do better. I know you can.”

Now with nothing but black ahead of her, and a huge station coming into view, excitement filled her veins. She was free, free of her family and with a future that was brighter than anything she’d thought she would have. And the city lights ahead also seemed that way.

Aileen waited for her at the exit. “Glad you made it.” She grinned. “Come on, I’ve got us booked in a little hotel not far from here. We can chill out, spend the day in their pool and spar, drink and eat all we want. Then you ship to the mining facilities.”

“You know where I’m going?” Pela asked.

“Of course. Gondi and I have been making sure we’re not far from each other, should be able to schedule something so we can see each other.”

Pela chided him, but also thanked him.

“I believe a young man you know also is going to be there.”

“Oh?” Pela asked.

“Goes by the name of Lucus. He’s going to be working over with me, but he said he’d worked with you before. That you and he ‘hit it off’ back on where.”

Pela remembered him, but didn’t feel the same way. Still, her face flushed, and Aileen laughed. “I thought I’d never see it—you blushing over a boy.”

“I am not.”

“I think we’re all going to get along just fine,” Aileen said. “Do you know where you’ll actually be mining?”

Pela didn’t. “I asked Gondi to sort it all out for me, to make sure we were just near each other. I’m on one hell of an adventure, and I guess it starts as soon as I land.”

Aileen took her bags from her. “I thought you had nothing?”

“Oh, Rachel gave me a load of her clothes. Those her momma made.”

Aileen’s eyes lit up. “You’re joking—you’ve homemade clothes from the Donark family?”

“No, why?”

Aileen was trying to get the bag open.

“Hey,” Pela said. “At least wait till we get to the hotel!”

Aileen sighed. “Okay, but we’re heading out for dinner later—you have to let me try some of these on.”

Pela smiled. “Sure. I might even let you wear one.”

When Aileen’s face lit up, Pela’s insides did too. She was excited for her future more than anything now, and the next few days relaxing might be just what she needed. Then it was down to work; settling into a new job would open her eyes up all the more. It thrilled her.

Chapter Fifty-Six

Crisidium

Tricticus, Emarl System

12/3556

Touring some of the facilities was interesting for Ava, but she wanted to spend as much time with her family as she could. This was a job that they needed to be doing, but her mind was elsewhere. It was back with her siblings and the conversations she’d had with Mark, her mother, and her father.

Mark hadn’t said much to her after that night, but she knew that a conversation was going to happen. She’d let everything get to her, and the emotions she’d felt she wasn’t sure she could change.

The fact was, she couldn’t have children and looking down into the tiny bundles of joy that were Akai and Kail, she had thoughts she didn’t want to acknowledge. One she couldn’t change—her fate she chose already. Now all she wanted was something different for them. But with the way things were going, it was going to get a heck of a lot shittier than better. There were thoughts coming across from Mark about attacks on the system. They were preparing for it, though she didn’t want them to.

Now they were ready for anything and getting even more ready for it. As more and more ships—be it the larger EMF carriers that they were reclaiming and using or the hundreds of smaller ships—landed, it seemed that her home system was the place everyone wanted to be. That meant her mother and father’s home and even her decisions were being scrutinized by everyone. Of course, no one would ever voice anything, but there were little tiny bits of things coming across to her.

Ava hadn’t had much chance to talk to or see her brothers. She’d missed them just as much as her home. Now she’d learned of a few more truths, and she wanted to see Julieus and work things out for herself. These rumors weren’t true.

But, that meant some time away from Mark and the jobs she had going on here, and she couldn’t afford to do that. There was too much going on.

Now, though, all she wanted was to take a shower, relax, and do something normal.

Mark tugged her to him, his eyes glinting. “What the hell’s going on in that head of yours?”

“Enough,” was all she could muster.

“Dinner and a movie?”

Ava let out a laugh. “You want dinner out, with me, here...then you want to watch a movie?”

“Isn’t that what people do here?”

“Of course.” She tried to read him, but sometimes he was impossible.

“Well then, come on. Let me take you out, where no one knows you.”

“That will be pretty impossible. Even if I weren’t a princess, the fact you’re taller and much larger than most bodybuilders would have heads turning.”

Mark looked away. “Know anywhere we might be able to go for some privacy?”

There was a glint in his eyes that she’d not seen before. Maybe their time here with her family had done him some good. Then again... She pushed those thoughts aside too.

“I think we could get something nice, go and eat down by the fishing lake. See the sunset later on.”

“That would be lovely. I’ve one job to go over with your father this afternoon. Why don’t you spend it pampering yourself, like a princess should do, and I’ll swing by about eight?”

“You really want to go on a date?”

Mark tucked her under his arm and kissed the top of her head. “Of course I do. I wouldn’t be asking otherwise.”

“Then I’d like that.”

Mark moved away from her then, to speak with her father. She listened in. They were talking about his favorite thing: fabbers. No matter how much she and he could create themselves with their nanites, the fabbers and those down in the Ark were creating so much, they literally ate through resources at incredible speeds. If the planet itself hadn’t been so rich, Ava had no idea what or where they’d be now. The Ark, their resting place for the fallen—there was so much more to it than it just being there.

Packing herself off, Ava made her way back to the palace, and eventually wandered up to her bedroom. She could fabricate every dress under the sun if she thought about it, but now she wanted to wear something special, something real. She just hoped that something she had would still fit. Maybe.

It was after a shower, and sometime later that her mother found her crying on the bed. She moved to wrap her daughter up in her arm and held her close. “Whatever is the matter?”

Ava looked up into her mother’s concerned eyes and wiped her tears away. She looked to the bomb site that now was her room. There were clothes everywhere. “What have I done?”

“You did the most courageous thing anyone could ever do for the future of your people here in Crisidium. If you hadn’t a life debt to Mark, do you think you’d have gone?”

Ava had wondered herself about this, the decision to go with him, to become a merger. But she knew, life debt or not, she’d always wanted to be a legionnaire; if he’d be her way in, either way then she would have gone. So she nodded. “I’d have gone anyway to protect our people, to do the best I possibly could for them, without being a medico.”

“There you go. You have the answer you seek already within you.”

“Nothing fits anymore,” she sputtered out, looking over the destruction of her room and clothes.

“Come with me. I know exactly where there will be something for you to wear. What’s the occasion?”

“Mark asked me out.” Ava followed her mother out of her room and through into some others. There was a large walk-in wardrobe filled with stunning clothes. “What about the sizes?” Ava frowned.

“I’ve just had twins. I am more than sure there’s something here that will accommodate your muscles.”

Thia moved to look through the outfits, and went straight for something that she knew would suit her daughter. She held out a blue silk dress, with encrusted jewels. “Here—this would be perfect for you. It’s always been your favorite color.”

When Ava took it, she blushed. “It’s beautiful. Thank you, Mom.”

Thia moved to help her into the dress. She was a lot taller than she was used to, but she still seemed not to manage the zipper.

Ava laughed to herself; she could have done it, but she knew her mom wanted to feel still needed, special. And she was special. Ava twirled around, a smile tugging at the corner of her face. “Think he’ll like it?”

“If he doesn’t, he can come and see me.”

***

Of course, Mark had seen Ava in a dress before, but this was different. When he had picked up the picnic basket and blanket from the kitchens, he’d made his excuses with Hael and Thia, and moved to fetch the woman he was in love with. She greeted him with a smile as wide as the room, and she glowed, more beautiful than he’d ever seen. The dress wasn’t part of her, his NIAI and senses had said that, and he couldn’t help himself; he was almost drooling.

“You look amazing.” He took her hand in his. “Ready to see the sunset?”

She grinned even more and giggled. “You’re making me feel like a schoolgirl.”

Mark leaned in and kissed the side of her cheek, catching her freshly washed scent. “That’s my plan.”

It was a decent walk through the palace gardens out toward a small lake at the back. There were plenty of places for them to settle but he kept on going. Ava tried to stop him a couple of times, but he insisted they carry on; it wasn’t quite the right place.

Then he stopped and pointed ahead.

“What?” Ava asked.

Ahead of them on the jetty of the lake was a boat. It just bobbed up and down, waiting for them to climb aboard. “Wouldn’t be right for this to just be a picnic. Let’s watch it from the water.”

Ava climbed onto the boat, and sat while he pushed them off the side. There was no need for the engine; just drifting away was what he’d planned.

“Is there some special reason you’re doing this?”

Mark moved to her side. “I just know we need some time, time away from everyone. There’s been a lot happening between us—we’ve still not spoken about it.”

Ava’s face flushed. “Because I kept pushing you. I’m...”

“Don’t be. There’s no other way I think you’d have gotten me to settle without it. I’m grateful for that.”

Mark leaned back into the soft cushions, and then, reaching into the basket, he pulled out two glasses and some wine.

When he’d poured it, she took a sip. “Wow, didn’t skimp on this either.”

“No, I asked Hael what your favorites from home were. I’ve even managed to get some of your favorite dishes, though it took me all afternoon to find those mushrooms you like.”

Ava almost spilled her glass. “You’ve got motakia mushrooms for me?”

Mark pointed to the basket. “Sure have. But there’s something we need to talk about before we dig in. Is that all right with you?”

On her frown, he worried about his decision to do this.

But she took a sip and spoke clearly. “No, I know we need to talk. I heard what my father asked the other night.”

“That’s not just the reason I’m doing this.” He pulled her in closer to him.

“Then what is all this?”

Mark put his glass down and took her hand in his. “I don’t talk about some things, and I probably won’t ever again. But I want to talk to you about Osdal, about what happened to me there.”

***

Ava swallowed. This she hadn’t expected. But instead of saying anything, she just let him talk.

Mark started with his life with Tyler on Sol. What it was like to grow up with no family, with no one. Then to find someone he clicked with, how they’d decided to become the Victor brothers. Then he moved on and talked about their life in the EMF, how they’d met Alexis. And how much she had Tyler wrapped around her finger. He talked for a long time about how much the two of them loved each other—their marriage, all their loves, laughs, and then their losses.

Then he started to talk about Osdal, and Ava finally started to put the pieces together that made him the man he was today.

Mark had shared a friendship so deep, it was more than love. When he spoke her name, Caroline, Ava felt his pain.

He paused but for a moment to talk about what happened to her, what the men on that planet were going to do to her and what they actually did. This was what made him turn, turn into the dark monster that she’d seen all but a few times.

While the sun set around them, Ava held his hand and listened. He never faltered in his stories, and this time though she expected it, he didn’t get angry. He was for once finally letting it out and she allowed him that.

When Mark finally finished, he sought her eyes with his.

She moved around to climb onto his lap and kissed him, kissed him harder than she had before. “It’s okay.” She eased back. “I’m here.”

Mark held her tightly. “I never wanted to love again, to feel pain. Watching you fight, seeing you in harm’s way, it kills me. But, I know that’s what we are. It’s what we do. I just don’t want to lose you too.”

Ava wanted to ply him with platitudes, to make him feel better, but she also knew that what words she offered, what promises she could give him, she also couldn’t keep. “There will be many trials in our future, many choices we have to make,” she said. “But I know we’ll make them together.”

She had thought for one brief moment he might have asked her to marry him, but he hadn’t. If he had, she wasn’t so sure what her answer would be. Would she have actually said yes? Hearing him talk about Alexis and Tyler’s wedding, she might have, but the pain when he lost them…

Ava didn’t let him out of her sight once. Eventually they made their way back to the shore, just as the sun started to rise once more.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Freighter O-41 (Wind Snapper)

Oort Cloud, Hellenic System

12/3556

“Looks like those boys in the Ark weren’t lying,” Captain Shwab said as they checked their position compared to the stars around them.

“The engineering group comes up with good ideas, albeit a bit crazy at times,” Moretti admitted with a smile.

Shwab gave Moretti a look that seemed to say, “No kidding,” making Moretti laugh.

All of the crew had become close over the last couple of months. Living in such tight quarters, it was hard to not get to know your neighbors. Thankfully they’d had plenty to keep them busy as they were mainly Moretti’s operatives. When they had down time, they were going through reams of information to keep him and the Victor Corporation in the loop with everything that was going on in the EHC and the Union.

It wasn’t simple work, but they were the best; it was why he was bringing them into the belly of the Union.

The new batteries and the modifications to the reactors increased our speed by nearly two times. This kind of advantage couldn’t be looked down on. It might still take them an average of twenty-three days to travel one parsec, but compared to thirty-five days, that was an incredible time difference.

It had allowed Moretti to reach the Hellenic system well ahead of schedule and before the Luyten forces reached the Emarl system.

His gaze turned cold and the smile stilled on his face as he thought of the hell that was about to fall on the Emarl system.

There wasn’t a way to stop it, but he would make sure that any who allied themselves with Rimateus and his plans paid the price. Their positions wouldn’t save them from him.

He had been talking to Zedra and they were of the same mind.

They cared little for anything but their values. With their values lining up, they easily shared information between each other.

She didn’t care for information gathering and passed edited reports over to Moretti.

He understood she wouldn’t pass him everything; in fact, he respected her more for it. She wasn’t an intelligence officer but she wasn’t bad at it.

By no means did they trust each other past completing their goals, but they had come to an understanding.

It was why he didn’t get reports from the Emarl system, only sent them reports. If someone hauled him in for questioning or tortured him, then he wouldn’t know everything going on in the system.

Knowing less was actually his best defense.

He looked out over the Hellenic system. The system had nearly twenty billion residents over three planets and hundreds of stations, with thousands of freighters moving between the planets and to the other systems that made up the Union.

The Roma Union never stopped moving.

The Wind Snapper was just another freighter added into the mass as they moved for the planet Ageia. He wouldn’t go directly to Roma; instead, he would make sure his path was complicated to the extreme, making it hard for people knowing where he came from.

Once he left the Wind Snapper, then he would be on his own—no support, no backup.

Masoul all over again, or maybe Osdal. Moretti’s life had been anything but simple, but it was the life he had chosen.

He was lucky enough that he had met the Victors and stepped outside of the corporate world. He had been looking to climb the corporate ladder, gaining power and money when he started. Now he had a cause.

Having a cause made him much more dangerous.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Freighter E-567

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

1/4

The last couple of months hadn’t been easy. All of the legionnaires were living in tight quarters and with all of the people who seemed to be yelling at them from back home, it was mentally draining.

They kept it together still and the Victor Corporation sent them information on the different positions that they might apply for, but any more information wasn’t forthcoming. Although they were glad that the legionnaires were coming to Emarl, they didn’t trust for there to be someone who wouldn’t let out vital information back to the Roma Union.

They were gearing up for a fight against Rimateus’s forces. The biggest thing in their favor right now was the fact that no one knew what was happening inside the Emarl system.

It was only now when they finished their last jump and they found that they were no longer connected to the legion net but connected to the Emarl net that they were able to see what was going on in the system.

“What the hell?” Quina said off to the side as she looked at the tactical display map that was in the middle of the higher-ranking officers.

Nerva was looking through the system, assessing the different resources that could be found in-system.

The Roma Union news made it look as though Emarl was nothing more than a backwater, with a struggling shipyard and a bunch of traitors filling it.

When they saw it for themselves, they weren’t seeing a system that was in chaos. Instead, they saw patrol groups moving around the system; four carriers and four battleships roamed with one battleship to one carrier around the system.

There was fourteen EMFCs that were being worked on near to the Yard, their armor upgraded and weapons placed on both sides instead of just one.

The shipyard was missing the mega freighter that had been under construction there. Inter-system freighters moved to the asteroids and to the planet.

The station had grown from a simple platform to a platform with spokes coming out of it. A circular station started to take shape at the end of those spokes.

“Mark is trying to talk with you,” Denise said.

“Let him,” Nerva replied.

“Hey, old man, how’s it going? Navigation information is being sent to your captain and it should be about a week or so until we can get you into a holding pattern around the Yard. We’re going to have to check everyone’s identities and verify they are who they say they are and they’re not spies before allowing them off the ship,” Mark said.

“Understood. I have a roster for everyone who is aboard, or at least who they say they are.” Nerva sent the information to Mark. He understood Mark’s paranoia. If there was just one person in their group who could communicate this all back to the Union, then Rimateus would have to change his plan of attack.

Right now, he was dumb, blind, and happy, and Nerva was more than happy to keep him that way.

“M is moving into the Hellenic system soon and his first mission is to help evacuate the family members of the people you brought to us and weren’t pulled out with the Aegean gardens. It looks like he’s already made some contacts, so it should move smoothly,” Mark said.

“Understood,” Nerva said.

“Welcome home. It’s good to have you back with us.” Mark closed the channel.

Nerva looked up. The others were looking to him. It was clear he had just been on a call.

“Mark sends his hello. We’re moving to the Yard, where everyone will be inspected. Once they pass security checks, then we can move to see where we fit in all of this,” Nerva said.

“Those ships around the Yard that are being upgraded?” Thomas McDougall’s statement turned into a question.

“They are Earth Military Force carriers. Holds a crew of one hundred and seventy thousand personnel, one hundred thousand of which are troopers. It looks to me that all of them have been given Alcubierre drives, which means that the people of Emarl have been a lot busier than we thought,” Nerva said.

“But for them to be here, shouldn’t they be on patrol?” Quina asked.

“When not in use, then the EMFCs are put into a sleep state where the crew goes into cryo, ready and waiting to be activated and put to work. Seems that they were woken up and they chose to come to the Emarl system,” Nerva said.

“Won’t the EHC retaliate?” Quina asked again.

“Retaliate?” Pullo let out a rough laugh. “The EMF is their bully boys to make sure everything runs well. Mark probably woke them up, gave them a choice to actually live for themselves and the EMF personnel jumped at it. I doubt that the EHC even knows that their military force has quit en masse as they can choose to fight for something they want, instead of just trying to escape the shithole that is Earth.”

The people from the Roma Union looked at one another with confusion while those who had been part of the EMF agreed with Pullo.

They knew that they would have done the same if they were in the positions of those on the carriers.

“Seems like Mark isn’t thinking small scale anymore.” Pullo laughed.

The corner of Nerva’s mouth lifted into a smile, choosing to not say anything else.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

The Crucible

Ark, Emarl System

1/4

Candidate Kovyas exited the drop-ship. Even the ride down to the Crucible, the headquarters of the Vanguard, was rough. Since the first trip down by the Moby, there had been more lightning rods added, creating a path down to the planet that was easier to follow.

He had passed through the main dockyard, which had purpose-built areas for making battleships and carriers. The ones that had been resting there were already on patrol, with a new crew working out the kinks as new ships had taken their place. They were rapidly growing as the automated systems and engineers who had come down assembled the crafts.

He had seen the Moby docked off to the side. The carrier was a hulking great mass. Its cannons, missile ports, and Vanguard launching system made it dominate the area around it, filling one with awe and interest in what lay beneath the hull of the powerful and old carrier.

He exited the drop-ship with his fellow candidates, seeing Vanguard mergers moving about the docking area, grabbing flights from other areas or coming in from whatever jobs they’d been working on.

There was only one entrance into the Vanguard’s territory.

Kovyas entered with three Vanguard who seemed to be communicating with one another but they weren’t emitting any noise.

Kovyas shifted the bag on his shoulder as the inner air lock opened.

The Vanguard brought themselves to attention and saluted.

Kovyas brought himself to attention and repeated the action, looking around.

The Vanguard mergers didn’t seem to be talking anymore as they entered the hallway.

There seemed to be a different kind of gravity in this hallway. Kovyas removed his helmet and looked at the walls, at the large crates that were stuck in the wall—each one a merger of the Vanguard who hadn’t made it home.

There were those who had fallen on Gilese, and others on Indalia. Seeing them, Kovyas stood a bit taller. It was a test of will, knowing that if he made it through training and became a merger of the Vanguard and fell in battle, then he, too, would make it into this hall.

He had stepped into the hall of remembrance. All of the candidates looked on those crates, affirming their actions or letting doubts settle in.

Kovyas walked with straight strides. He had wanted to become a merger on Gilese. He knew that they had saved his life and the lives of his men. That kind of debt wasn’t easily paid.

He would be dead without them. What was dying once to rise as one of the Vanguard?

His NIAI guided him into a greeting hall, where there were other candidates who had moved into seating. All of them were veterans: from the legion, from Tricticus, from the Earth Military Force.

Looking at them all, he saw a similar light in their eyes. They were determined, ruthless and driven. Most of them weren’t great big hulks; instead, they looked like normal, unremarkable people. To get to this stage, it didn’t take the biggest muscles or the best scores; it took putting in hard work, dealing with the shit day after day, being forged from man to warrior. Each and every man and woman here had gone through hard times and it had made them hard people.

Kovyas moved to a seat. The two troopers there nodded to him and went back to their conversation over what they thought might happen to the EHC.

“Look, if any of the colonies step up, and there’s no one to knock them down with us not there, the EHC is going to fall apart,” one said.

“Maybe, but what’s saying that they won’t just gas the place and start again? That’s what happened with Fernix and Housapel,” the other said.

“Well, shit, they aren’t my people. I fought to get a new life and I’ve lost more brothers and sisters than I can count. It’s time that they fought for their future. I ain’t going to stand in their way no more,” the first replied.

The second went to make a noise when someone called out.

“Atten-chun!”

The room stood at attention. Even across militaries, the position was the same.

They all looked to the front of the room, where an older-looking man with cold eyes walked onto the stage.

“Sit.” His words weren’t loud or quiet but they could be heard through the room and had an immediate reaction as everyone put ass to bench.

“You are all candidates to become mergers of the Vanguard. You have already passed your first tests. Though they won’t be the last ones you go through. My name is Captain Reckhi, though everyone calls me Dodger. I will be leading your training. These unfortunate bastards,” a few dozen mergers walked out at the bottom of the stage, “will have to deal with you directly. This selection is about finding who of you can last, who can push past their limits, and who is worthy to become a merger. Look around this room.”

Kovyas and the others did as they were told, with bored expressions.

“They are not your brothers and sisters. Maybe at the end of this they will be. Right now, there are twenty thousand people in this selection round. That means there will be about two hundred mergers at the end of this all. If you pass and make the decision to become a merger, you will not be just joining another unit—you will be a new being. Some believe that you will not be human. Don’t worry—I know you won’t be human anymore. You will be the deadliest thing to have ever touched a weapon—you will be a weapon yourself.” Dodger’s eyes swept over them all.

They all knew who he was and what he had done. In front of such a man, there was no use in putting up a front.

He took shit from no one.

“Let’s see just who out of you can make it. Training staff, see to your people!”

With that, he turned and left the stage. Information appeared on the different candidates’ views as they were broken down into training groups and moved to follow their new directions, heading out of different exits where the training staff looked over them.

Kovyas hadn’t seen the Vanguard out of their armor.

Their eyes were cold and calculating as they looked over the candidates. The shortest was over seven and a half feet tall. Their gray skin contrasted starkly against their black and purple fatigues and silver veins.

Kovyas took a breath and continued forward. There was no going back now.

Chapter Sixty

The Crucible

Ark, Emarl System

2/4

“Maraukian insertion barges have been seen at the outer reaches of the Sacremon system. They are three weeks’ transit from the planet,” Sarah informed Mark.

He was overlooking the training of the new candidates when she informed him.

He let out a tired sigh, as old memories surfaced from his time on Sacremon. Some good, most bad.

“There is nothing that we can do,” Mark said, feeling all of his years. “We are under attack ourselves and even when we found out about the first alert, our ships wouldn’t be fast enough to reach the planet and help them. We’ve sent them information through back channels so that they might make some kind of defense and survive.”

He knew that the chances of the people from Sacremon surviving were extremely low. To the point that he had written off the Sacremon system.

He only had the power to secure the Emarl system. It was not his job to look after everyone. He would hold Emarl against all attackers, and then they would go and see just what that damned signal was and see if they couldn’t put an end to this war against the Maraukians and whoever was commanding them.

This was his promise to himself and the people under his command. He would put them first before others. They’d fought other people’s battles; it was time that they looked to their own. If others wanted to come to the Emarl system and join their cause, that was their choice.

It was harsh but it was realistic.

“In the meantime, we best prepare for the Luyten’s military forces.” Mark closed the hologram. He was in his office once again. On the wall, there were pictures: old ones recovered of Tyler and Alexis’s wedding, the Triple-Twos, when they had graduated training and become official troopers.

So many of those goofy and smiling faces of those who had died all too soon.

Mark looked at each and every one of them, just remembering them. A soft smile appeared on his lips.

“Time to get back to work. There’s a lot to be done.” He walked around to his desk, feeling those pictures behind him as he started to work through the never-ending reports and information slips passed to him.

They might not have had a place to call their own, but they’d had a family. Now he wanted to see those like them had a place to call their home, a safe harbor in the chaos.

Chapter Sixty-One

Crisidium

Tricticus, Emarl System

3/3557

High King Hael Desialias let out a sigh as the projection in his office that showed the movements of the Emarl system highlighted two more vessels that were entering the system from the outer reaches.

“Is something the matter, my king?” General Orbel asked.

“Nothing, Orbel. It’s just that when we started this agreement with the Victor Corporation, they were giving us good terms as we had the strength of numbers and people on our side. It is only now that I am realizing how kind they were being in their terms.” Hael moved to where the two EMFCs were cruising across the system for the Yard, where there were another ten EMFCs in various stages of refit.

His eyes moved to the station. Its first ring was nearing completion. Docked to it, there were two upgraded troop transports. Another two orbited the planet as the troopers aboard went through training on the new ships and the new equipment they had.

“I feel that I’m becoming obsolete,” Orbel joked.

“I think you might be on Tricticus,” Hael said, commiserating with his general.

“That’s fine with me,” Orbel reassured his friend. “They’ve got more advanced weapon systems, armor, and ships than the legion. It’s clear that they aren’t just readying themselves for the Luyten forces. They’re getting ready to invade.”

“The Union?” Hael looked up from the hologram.

“Nothing like that. It’s clear that they only want to have a say in the operation of Emarl. They’re done fighting meaningless wars.”

“So the Maraukians? But the Maraukians are endless. Even the Union hasn’t defeated them in hundreds of years.” Hael frowned.

“It’s the hunch of an old general.” Orbel shrugged.

Hael looked to the Yard and the ships that lay there before moving his eyes to the roving patrols of ships around the system.

Whatever they’re planning, it isn’t simple.

Hael shook his head. He didn’t know what the future would bring, but he was sure of one thing: when the Luyten Conglomerate arrived, they would not be expecting what the Emarl system had to offer.

Even he, watching it all, was surprised as mega freighters appeared from the black with all manner of resources and legionnaires. The Ark’s true nature had been revealed and Earth Military Force carriers had joined with the forces of Emarl, creating an influx of nearly two million people at this point. And more were coming. The Promise, Hope, and Novum were loaded with people and different items. The Fernix was just months away from returning with three refining stations and thousands of miners, as well as their families.

There was still another nine EMFCs that were inbound for Emarl and a train of freighters to and from Osdal had been set up with freighters slated to go through the Masoul system to pick up materials and stragglers on their return journey.

Thousands were being trained in the different skill schools, or joining the military branch of the Victor Corporation.

The Yard was actually expanding as it pushed out its eighth mega freighter, creating more room to create supply ships, battleships, and carriers for the war effort.

Then there was also the Aegean gardens that were hurtling through space toward them. With it all, Hael was feeling more and more that they were lucky to have made the deals they had with the Victor Corporation. Even a small slice of what was happening in the system would be a great benefit to them all.

Chapter Sixty-Two

VCF Avenger

Emarl System

4/3557

The plot started to resolve itself before Captain Marcelle.

The bridge was quiet as the information rolled in about the system.

“Looks like we found the party place,” Marcelle’s second-in-command, Bollard, said with a grin.

“Looks like we have,” Marcelle said.

“We have an incoming transmission from Admiral Hall.”

“On screen,” Marcelle said, righting himself. He had served with Admiral Hall when taking the Osdal system. He had remained in support as Hall and other EMFCs charged off toward Fernix and then Earth.

“Look what the cat dragged in.” Hall had a few more wrinkles but he was still the same person as he looked at the crew.

Those who knew him smiled while others looked at the vaunted EMFC captain turned admiral with interest.

“Admiral.” Marcelle smiled in greeting.

“Good to see you, Marcelle. We’ll have to get together over a few cold ones. As you can see, things are a bit crazy here, but don’t worry—we didn’t forget about you guys. We’ve got a mooring location near the Yard, if you want to get that EMFC off your hands?”

“We’ve agreed as the crew to sell the carrier over to the Victor Corporation,” Marcelle said.

“Good! Then beers are on you!” Hall laughed.

“Cheap bastard.” Marcelle laughed. It was good to see the other.

“Frugal, my friend, frugal.” Hall winked. “Once we’ve completed the handover, then applicants to the skill schools will get a ride down to Tricticus. Those wanting to stay a trooper will be moved to the station or one of our newly upgraded troop transports. That might look a bit familiar to you all.” Hall’s tone dipped, as if letting them in on an inside joke.

Marcelle rolled his eyes at Hall. His rank might have changed but his sense of humor was the same.

“Then, for those looking to retire, we’ve got plenty of options. We’re going to send over the information pamphlets in just a few so don’t worry—you’ll have something to do on your flight over here! I’ve got to run, but see you soon!” Hall cut the channel as Marcelle received a private message.

“Sorry about the smoke and mirrors but we will be checking over everyone on the ship. Don’t want any spies in the ranks.” Hall’s voice sounded in Marcelle’s ear.

They had already removed most of the corporation supporters, either leaving them on ice or putting them on trial for any transgressions that they’d caused.

Marcelle could understand Hall’s reasoning and continued on as if nothing had happened.

“Navigation, take us in,” Marcelle ordered.

The EMFC Avenger’s engines and thrusters fired as they followed the flight plan they had been given, guiding them into the system.

Chapter Sixty-Three

Shuttle 417

Roma, Hellenic System

4/3557

It had been a hell of a journey so far into the depths of Hellenica, and Moretti had used all of his skills to get things started and moving. There were times he wished this wasn’t how it would happen. Everything was slow, laborious. But, it was the way things had to be. From the Wind Snapper to a station; from there, shuttle to shuttle, then to his first planet. Then closer and closer he had weaved his way and his operatives in toward his main goal: Roma.

Now finally he stepped off the shuttle under someone else’s name, and the first thing he really needed to do was find somewhere secure to operate from.

His contact there was an old retired legionnaire who Nerva had put him in touch with. He had to make his way across this city toward him and then to Roma.

Seeing the city in these circumstances was difficult. The presence of the Union and the legionnaires who were almost casually walking about had him on edge. Checkpoints in and out were everywhere. Their reasons were validated. No one wanted the wrong person to get close to the senate or to the palace, but that made his job more difficult. His IDs would now either hold up, or once more he’d be discovered.

Moretti followed the line off the shuttle platforms and out into the checkpoint system. He’d managed to move several key families away from where the shit would eventually hit. Now he needed to be in the central hub of where the Shadow Legion’s operations would take place. Every single person on the list Zedra had given him had two sets of operations on them. One of hers, and one of his. Together they’d managed to infiltrate every single major player’s office, house, and workers. Even Moretti had been impressed with the attention to detail from Zedra’s men. Getting to know and work with new tech, and sliding in un-noticed by those around him—they were not people to trifle with.

The line moved slow and Moretti waited patiently, his nerves calm, his manners matching those of everyone around him.

When he approached the guard at the gate, he smiled and held out his palm for ID. The guard scanned him, smiled back and let him through.

No complications. Pulling up an image of the city, Moretti then made his way out into the street to get a shuttle bus to the other side, where his contact waited. It was little more than an hour before he entered the secure facility and was shown to an office door. Moretti knocked and waited to be called inside. When he sat, Sennia Caleta greeted him with a nod. She wore loose clothes, and her graying hair was tied neatly back. She didn’t look a day older than he was.

“Good to finally meet you.” She held out a hand for him to shake and he did so briefly.

“Agreed. We’ve been talking for over a month now. It’s nice to sit and converse for real.”

“Has it been that long already?” She pulled up several files in front of her. Nothing was digital here; everything, it seemed, was old school. At the end of her desk sat an incinerator.

“I’ve been collecting data as you asked and I’ve scheduled you to meet with Legate Zedra’s second-in-command, Sertoria. Once you’re there, she will fill you in more on the goings-on at Rimateus’s science base.”

Moretti felt the shiver up his spine. There’d been many thoughts and nightmares for what could happen if Rimateus could create mergers. No matter how much they’d all been assured it was impossible, Moretti was not one for believing in “impossible.” He’d pulled that off more times than he’d counted. So now, he—no, they—had to get this right. Rimateus could not do this. Seeing the facility and meeting with Sertoria was paramount to all their next moves. Then all he had to do was get into the palace, where things would really start to come together. Talking with Zedra happened more often than he thought it would. But the network was extra secure and he hadn’t worried once about information getting across to the wrong people.

But Rimateus was watching everything around them. Bringing out the Shadow Legion had his back up and although he was occupied with Emarl, Moretti also knew he would never let his guard down on Roma. As long as this was taking to maneuver into place, it was at a pace where no one was suspected. Getting into the palace, though, was going to be his toughest challenge yet. Every person was scrutinized beyond anything Moretti’d witnessed before. Rimateus and those who helped him had this same kind of clampdown in the last month or so. Food shortages and rations, it seemed, brought out the worst in everyone.

Sennia passed him the paper file and he took it. He read through her schedule. “We’re on task, that’s all I need to know.” And then into the incinerator it went.

“You can stay at the safe house. No one will question you in and out.” She passed him the address.

“Thank you. We’ll talk again.”

Moretti made to leave, but she stopped him with nothing but a look. “Don’t fret. It will all be over soon enough. This internal rot will not spread any further.”

“Good. There are over two billion people here depending on you that it doesn’t.” Moretti turned away. He couldn’t let her see the sudden fear that gripped him. When he left, though, that fear had gone. He knew his strengths and doing this was possible—no, destined.

Rimateus would not win.

Chapter Sixty-Four

VCF Fernix

Emarl System

6/3557

Johnny waved away his quibbling descendants as he moved up to the observation deck. He was already in better health as he had been able to get some age-aiding treatments from Captain Grild.

“Looks like you made it out as well.” Felicia walked up beside him.

“You want to keep it down?” Carly complained from where she sat.

The three of them smiled at one another as they embarked on another adventure.

They only had to look out of the observation glass to see that they were in a new system, with different stars around.

Johnny sent a command to the observation bubble, showing a map of the system.

“So now the important stuff?” Carly half asked/complained.

“I’ll leave that all up to you guys. I’m off,” Felicia said.

“Off?” Johnny asked.

“There be asteroids out there. I’ve got a ship, sensor data, and an allotment to fill. I ain’t going to be doing that from here,” Felicia said with her hands on her hips. Hints of her rebellious youth came back through.

Johnny smiled and raised a hand. “Good luck out there.”

Felicia took his hand with a smile on her face. “Keep the lights on, old man. I’ll be back with a big haul soon enough!”

“Looking forward to it. Big haulers are my best customers,” Johnny said. The blood in his body started to boil as the pressures of the last few months and years fell away.

He could get back to doing what he loved without a worry for the corporations.

“That’s what I like to hear!” Felicia walked away, heading for her old Gold Runner and the fleet of mining ships that she had built up over the years.

“Grild says it will take a month in total before we’re able to get all of the refineries where they’re supposed to be,” Carly said.

“I heard,” Johnny said. They’d been reviewing information ever since they entered the system. They’d found the positions that looked to have both short-term and long-term viability, when talking to the mining crews who were already mining and the others who had come with them from Osdal.

Those that had made it into Emarl beforehand already had their new mining ships from the Victor Corporation and were making out what they thought were the best asteroids to mine.

It was a whole new system, abound with opportunities.

Johnny couldn’t help but smile, excited to see what would happen.

Chapter Sixty-Five

Generic Bar

Roma, Hellenic System

7/3557

Sertoria was also not someone to be messed with. Moretti learned that the first time he met her, although unlike Zedra, she had a wicked sense of humor.

Their scheduled meeting hadn’t happened as planned because she was stuck inside the facility.

He instead had to wait for her to surface. Another week or so had passed. Moretti hadn’t let it bother him; he had to be patient. No communication would happen till she was fully clear. The information he knew she would have was paramount.

It was while he contemplated his next move, sitting and drinking a local homebrew, that she showed up. He’d picked a random bar, a place where people met for all sorts of reasons, mostly sex. And his nights there had been spent fending off the odd drunken woman or two, or actually taking them up on their offers of a good time. Blending in was both hard work and fun.

Tonight, though, he’d spotted her across the room and made eye contact, and eventually after having a few drinks, some shots and a dance or two, she made a couple of passes at random strangers, then she made it to his table.

Loud enough for all the others there to see, she then made a pass at him. Moretti wasn’t impressed with her charm, but her character shone through as she played the room around them. “You taking me home tonight?”

He picked up his glass, drank the contents and escorted her wobbling ass out of the bar.

“Been doing that for months?” Moretti asked when they were finally on their own.

Sertoria laughed. “Have you?”

They walked for a good while, weaving through streets, the drunken swagger they both used dissipating, till they walked with purpose.

She finally stopped, reaching her destination, and let him inside the apartment block and then into her studio apartment.

“Thought I’d never get out of that place,” she said. “Really needed those damned drinks this time.”

Moretti wanted to go deeper, but didn’t ask. Instead, he moved to her small kitchen unit, and poured them both a drink.

“Sorry,” she said when he sipped it and winced. “The only thing I can show to afford.”

He put the glass down, checking the security in the room with his NIAI and then personally checking all the places he would hide monitoring devices. The room was clean.

He sat on the edge of her bed and watched as she drank.

“I’ve seen some nasty shit,” she said. “But nothing like what’s going on down there.”

Moretti nodded and passed her his drink.

She took it, shaking her head.

“How close are they?”

Sertoria was the only one he had who knew both sides to this. “They’ll never get what they want,” she said. “That much is clear. But they’re doing something. They’re creating something no one has seen before.”

This really worried him. He moved to take the bottle once more, and as bad as it was, he poured himself a drink. “Show me.”

Sertoria gave him an odd look, but he insisted. “I know what you’re saying, but I need to see it. I need to have records, because when we destroy this, there’s only one person in this entire world who will have this info.”

Sertoria pushed herself up. “I didn’t record it for any real reason. I would destroy everything before I even reported back to Zedra.”

This surprised him. “Why?”

“I’ll let you be the judge of that, Mr. Moretti.” She turned away from him for just a moment and then handed him a data chip.

Moretti took it, and within seconds had it playing.

There wasn’t much that made him physically sick. He’d seen it all. Hell, he’d done more than he would ever admit to. But here, now, he leaned over and threw up in her trash bin.

“My thoughts exactly.” She patted his back.

Moretti looked up into her eyes. She seemed so innocent in all of this. Had she a real clue to the things she even witnessed down there?

Moretti pulled the data. “There’s no way in hell I’m showing that to anyone. Even their creator. Sertoria, are you really with me? Would you do anything to stop them, even if Zedra ordered you otherwise?”

“Like I said, I’ve seen some pretty awful things. There’s no way in hell I’d ever let that get out. Even if Zedra ordered me.” Sertoria looked to his fingers as they crushed the chip; then he moved to fry it over the grill till there was nothing left at all.

“Then, as painful as it is, as exhausting as it is”—he tapped the side of his head—“this…is on us.”

Chapter Sixty-Six

VCF Fernix

Emarl System

7/3557

Pela had heard there were some big changes coming. But she had not expected this. Watching as one of Osdal’s refining stations was maneuvered into place was on today’s list of things to do, but she couldn’t spend all her time daydreaming. Today she was also meeting up with her friends. It was an off day and they had plans to relax, unwind, and discuss their next moves. She had lots of decisions to make over the next few months. First was getting settled and into a position that meant money and stability. That meant moving out and working with the miners she’d been signed with. This had come with everything she’d imagined: the thrill of being out there in space and the finality of getting the job done, bringing in the best quality stuff you could to split down the middle.

The gang hadn’t been all bad. They were mostly family, related by blood or marriage, and they took her in to train and work. That she did. She’d worked solidly for them and become fast friends. However, she also knew this wasn’t the full-time life and home she wanted. She wanted something a little, well, different.

Pela had fallen in love with this job though and when some different mining jobs came in as the refineries landed, she had jumped at the chance for something new once more. She’d had an open contract with her first crew, after all, and now had some time off to assess where and what she wanted next. Where she rested her feet now was a middle way for all miners and workers. A station built just for that time in between. She’d just needed to get some of her debts paid and some cash to her name. Now she was being a little choosier about what she wanted, and she had the right; she’d worked hard to be here. This was a good thing and Aileen was encouraging her, along with Ashaeed, and Lucus.

Now, though, she stood with everyone else, watching as the viewing screens showed VCF Fernix moving in with the refinery in tow. All she wanted above anything else now was to go visit it. See what they had brought with them. Was it similar tech? Better?

“They’ve had nothing but months to upgrade all the systems on the refinery,” Gondi said in her ear. “If there were better tech out there, then I doubt we’d see it soon. It just flew in.”

“It’s fantastic,” she said.

Lucus and Remy came in behind her. “Hey, I think the others are here too,” Remy said, looking up at the ships easing the refinery into place.

“Cool. We can meet in a minute. Let me watch them just a little longer.”

There were several other men and women about them, and the more she watched, the more crowded it got.

Then she noticed something off in the trajectory. It couldn’t be right. The captain on the VCF would know, right? But when the side of the refinery lurched to the right, she and Lucus shared a worried glance.

She asked Gondi whether everything was all right and he confirmed it was. But she knew otherwise. She turned to Lucus. “That ship’s listing. Something’s unbalanced them.”

“The captain will see it. Don’t worry,” Remy said.

Pela turned back to watch with everyone else, but the refinery wasn’t altering its course. Come on, she thought. You have to move!

Lucus leaned over and whispered in her ear a moment later. “He’s got it—watch! That captain’s a pro!”

The close contact from him unnerved her, but she didn’t pull away. She didn’t want everyone here to panic. They had no clue about what could happen. None of them. “We’ve just covered all this in basic training, but there’s no training when it comes to being out in the dark for real.”

Lucus pulled himself closer to her. “Don’t worry, seriously.”

“How do you know?” she said.

Lucus tapped the side of his head.

“Of course.”

Gondi projected a path of the refinery with its current speeds. It looked better. Pela, however, wasn’t relaxing just yet.

Ashaeed and Aileen came in beside her, and she never even noticed as Ashaeed kissed the side of her cheek.

Then she waited again. As the engines of the VCF Fernix kicked in again, there were several shouts as the refinery twisted a little and then was in its final resting place.

A moment later, she heard the announcement over the main PA systems. All the workers’ breaks were over. She turned to her friends and patted her stomach. “We getting lunch or what?”

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Navy Headquarters

Ark Orbit, Emarl System

7/3557

Admiral Hall looked at the newest arrival. The mega freighter Promise arrived just a few hours ago and was moving directly for the station.

In its holds, it carried some two point one million people and resources. The people were all from Masoul, looking at an opportunity at a new life.

He shook his head, remembering the campaign in Masoul. It had not been pretty and the conditions that people were living in on the planet were nothing less than terrible.

It seemed that although the Harmony were gone, there was just too much pain in those underground cities.

Many of the people moved out to the station and to the refineries on the gas giant. The problem was that they weren’t trained and many died as they looked to repairing the different facilities and getting them functional. Birth rates were low and people were depressed with their lot in life.

Once they were offered a chance and Moretti used the contacts that he still had in place, the entire system was looking to leave.

Even now, there were freighters picking up more people and resources from the system, taking them to Emarl.

With the Promise, there wasn’t enough room in the containers for everyone if they were awake, so they had rigged up cryopods, put everyone to sleep and that allowed them to carry many more people.

They’d gone to sleep in Masoul, but they’d wake up in Emarl. Hall knew how odd it was waking up in some unknown place. He hoped that they would adjust well and come to love Emarl.

“We just keep on growing bigger and bigger,” Hall said to himself.

It seemed that there were craft coming in all the time, with more people and items that they needed.

He knew that after the initial flood, it would calm down and the Emarl system would need to rely on itself. Still, for the time being, seeing the system go through so many changes and advances left him with a sense of pride and thinking that they were on the edge of something massive here.

If they could make it past the Luyten forces, then they wouldn’t just be holding Emarl. They could strike out at the Maraukians. That was, if Moretti and Cassius played their hands right and were able to get rid of the cancer that plagued the Union.

Chapter Sixty-Eight

The Crucible

The Ark, Emarl System

7/3557

Mark watched through the nearest window. He couldn’t see the outer system of Emarl but he knew things out there were changing. And changing in a good way. “Can you get me scans—anything?” he asked Sarah.

A moment later, an overview of the system ahead showed two tiny spots against the black. “Hope and Novum.” He saw his own grin spread out from the corners of his mouth in the window.

“What makes you so happy?” came Ava’s voice from behind him.

“Dominguez is waiting on your link,” Sarah said.

“Connect.”

“Honey, we’re home!” Dominguez’s laughter echoed inside his mind.

Mark instantly linked in Jerome, whose excitement echoed through as he panted out, “They’re here, already?”

Mark glanced to Ava. Of course she’d spoken with Dominguez but the two of them really meeting was exciting. In the depths of his soul, Mark really wanted them to like each other. There would be nothing worse than if they didn’t.

“Stop fretting,” came Ava’s calm thoughts.

Jerome was still panting as his thoughts tumbled out. “How long till you get here, here?”

“Calm down!” Dominguez could only laugh at him. “I hope that panting means you’re in training, and not in bed with your lovely wife!”

Mark laughed. He could almost see the blush from Jerome.

“Training, of course. Can’t be out of shape when you get here. No doubt you’ll want to kick my ass.”

“You bet. I know you ain’t been in the training room since I’ve not been there to push your scrawny ass in.”

He couldn’t wait for them to finally connect, to share a beer, to move forward. Everything had been moving toward this; now he finally felt as if he were winning. Most of the people he’d given the choice to come here were arriving. They weren’t just arriving in their droves; they were bringing more resources—and with that, fighting power.

Then another voice came through as Ortiz butted in, “General,” he said. “So good to have you here. Please ask that you’re dropped off at the station. We’ll meet you there. Novum may also stop by the Yard. Our teams are waiting to off load some of your precious cargo.”

“Where will it all be going?” she asked.

“Don’t worry. We’re not taking it all off you. Once you’re here and rested, we’ll debrief you properly,” Jerome said, trying his best to avoid paying for the beer.

“Rest? Fuck that. I’ve had nothing but rest for months. Most of the men I came with are in cryo. They’ll want out as soon as they can. Get me to your location, now, or I swear I will come and beat your ass.”

Mark started to laugh. “There’s already a shuttle on its way for you and anyone you need to come with you. That good enough?”

Dominguez softened a little. “Yes, sir,” she said. “I’m just excited to get things moving.”

“As are we all,” he replied. “There’s a lot to discuss and a lot to do.”

“Then you can get the beers in, right, Jerome?” Ortiz said.

Jerome let out a sigh. “All right, I’ll get the beers in. I’m not doing that, however, until we can all enjoy it. That means we all sit down together. Like old times.”

Mark lamented a little. “Like old times.”

***

It really was a good while later—in fact, almost a few weeks later—that Dominguez finally stepped off a shuttle to greet them all in person. With Phillips and two others flanking her.

“Mark.” She opened her arms for him.

Mark didn’t have any qualms about giving her a hug. In fact, he lifted her up and into the air. “Good to finally squeeze you!”

When she started to sputter, he let go.

“General Dominguez.” Ava stepped forward with a salute.

Dominguez grinned. There might be a few onlookers, but she held out a hand and when Ava gripped it, Dominguez pulled her into a hug. Ava was a little unsure as to how to respond. Dominguez whispered in her ear, “Thank you for being you. That big lug there needed someone to take care of him. I’m glad he’s got you.”

“I’m glad I’ve got him too. It’s good to finally meet you.”

Dominguez moved around the room with handshakes and hugs for everyone. The chatter inside the bay was rowdy laughter and talk.

It was Esamai who shouted above the din. “Come on, everyone. Let’s take this to the meeting room. The men here need to clear out the bay. You know they have other jobs to do, right?”

Jerome was the one who grunted. “Always the mother.”

“Actually,” Ortiz said. “Always the manager.”

Moving on to the boardroom Esamai had set out, they were surprised to find the beer that Ortiz had been goading about. Esamai opened the barrel. “This was for a special occasion, and I think there’s enough of us that it won’t affect our abilities, mergers aside. So drink up. Talk—do what family do.”

“What’s that?” Jerome asked her.

Even Dominguez knew the answer to that one. She poured a beer and then pulled up a chair. “Come on, I need all the details, from all of you. I’ve seen all the reports—I know the plans. But really, we’re going after the Maraukians? You know where their home base is or something?”

Mark poured a drink and sat beside her. “There’s going to be a bit more that will happen before that, but yes, that’s our goal. Ramesh managed to beat them back. Sacremon isn’t going to be so lucky. They’re hitting harder, with more forces than ever. For the first time, we’ll be the hunters.”

Ortiz and Dominguez had blank expressions as they nodded. They knew what that meant. The only path forward was through hell. There was no sense in lying to themselves.

“If you’re going through hell, keep going,” Ortiz said.

Chapter Sixty-Nine

LMFC Righteous

Emarl System

10/3557

Karain sat in her command seat as around her the twenty-three ships of the Luyten Military Force appeared.

They seemed to appear out of nowhere as they finished their last transition.

“The Emarl system.” She snorted in disdain, not bothering to look at the command table where information was coming in from the system.

Everything they were getting was six or more light-hours old but it started to paint an odd picture to her second-in-command and the attaché from Senator Rimateus.

Captain Strong had been Senator Rimateus’s man for many years, earning his trust and his current position. He had been with the final shipment of weapons and tech. He and his command group that the senator had sent across to help with training and raising the forces of the Luyten system had all embedded themselves firmly in the command structure.

Karain might be the admiral but Strong was truly in command of the Luyten force.

He frowned as he looked at the information coming in. It was a lot different from what he was expecting.

The station’s construction is much more advanced than we predicted. The three refinery stations from Osdal are not only in place in the system but they look to be working by the number of freighters going to and from them.

“The fuck?” Strong couldn’t keep his words in as information was resolved around the station and the Yard orbiting the fourth planet.

Karain looked over to him, frowning.

Where the fuck did those come from?

Strong expanded the map on the command table as Karain moved over, interested to see what had got him so agitated.

Strong, sensing her nearby, checked between the station and the Yard again.

“Something the matter?” she asked.

“These ships, do you know what they are?” Strong looked to her.

“Looks like some kind of junker ships with weapons on one side, while those have them on both sides.” Karain pointed to the ships at the Yard and those at the station.

“They’re Earth Military Force carriers. Twenty of them, by my count. That’s nearly all of the EMFCs in service. These are the base models.” He looked at the Yard, then over to the station. “Those are upgraded versions with weapons on both sides.”

“So? They’re just twenty ships and they are all using the old cannons of the EMF. Most of them are just holding in the Yard, being worked on. We can swing in and pound them at range.” Karain hadn’t been idle, spending her time trying to learn enough to get by in battle.

“It’s the fact that they brought in twenty carriers with nearly two hundred thousand EMF personnel without us even knowing. That’s some two million combat-capable troopers. Then there’s the Hope and Novum that brought in the forces from Earth.” He pointed to the two freighters that were moving out of the system.

Strong leaned on the command table heavily as alerts started popping up.

He selected the notifications. The map moved to center on new ships.

There were four new unknown ship types that were near where different groups of miners were. They had defensive weapon systems on them that had been tagged by the sensor operators.

Looks like some kind of supply ship to me, but they’re using them as refineries. Maybe they aren’t as advanced as I feared.

He moved to the other alert and his stomach dropped out.

There was a patrol group of a battleship and a carrier moving next to each other, circling the system.

The command table started to recognize other similar objects as he saw nine different patrols all circling the system. Four of them had a supply ship with them and in one patrol group, a tag appeared.

VCF Moby.

The ship was thirty percent larger than before and as the information started to resolve on it, it looked a hell of a lot meaner.

Strong gritted his teeth.

“What’s the plan, sir?” Karain asked.

“So there are nineteen combat-capable ships in the system. None of them are more than half of our length and they’re about a fifth of our tonnage. They’re all spread out so if we engage them, we can hammer them one by one. Our goal is not the ships themselves but the Yard and the station. If we can hammer those enough, bang up the surface of the planet and get the hell out of here, then we’ll be fine,” Strong said, focused on the table and not turning to Karain.

“We’ll keep our forces together, overpower the enemy with our strength and rush the system. We’ll set a heading to hit the Yard and then the station, from range if possible. I don’t want us getting tangled up in the forces there.”

Karain looked at the table and nodded. She might be arrogant, but knowing that Strong held the true power, she removed her arrogance and did as she was told.

“Are we going to land forces on the planet?” She looked to Strong.

“Get General Tau on a conference call. We’ll need to discuss it with him. Even if we lose all of our ground forces, it matters little to us. We don’t want them turning on us or letting out secrets.” Strong gave Karain a deep look.

“Understood.” She turned and went back to her command seat, not fazed in the slightest about stabbing her subordinates in the back.

“Inform the fleet. We will be moving at best speed for the Yard.”

Chapter Seventy

ENS Homeland

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

While the Luyten Military Force was getting information six hours old, Hall was getting it nearly instantly as the sensor network that was sown around the system found the twenty-three ships entering the system.

“Bring all forces to full readiness. Have all shipping move to their closest port of call. Have them ready to evacuate personnel if needed.” Hall’s voice was calm as he issued his orders.

“Navigation, which rally point would be best to gather our forces together at?” Hall asked.

“Rally point twenty-four,” Yeltsin reported without fail.

“Relay through communications to all patrols to meet at rally point twenty-four.” Hall moved his hand as a hologram only seen to him through his NIAI appeared of the battlefield and system.

When he had been looking over the system, he was betting that the Luyten Military Force would transit in well outside of the Oort Cloud. This would mean that their information was behind what was going on in the system. Using this, Hall wanted to use it to his advantage.

He had all of his forces patrol the outside of the system. It was boring work, but they had plenty of training to keep them busy.

It would also allow them to react a lot faster to threats.

Once they were outside a system’s Oort Cloud, there was a lot less complications with activating one’s Alcubierre drive than when transiting inside the system.

This added a whole new factor to the battlefield as he had created rally points with sensor platforms at their center.

They would get up-to-the-second information on the rally point and what was there. The ships could then move through the nearly twelve hundred rally points, converging on one outside of the system and reducing the time to their enemy.

“Minutes are everything here, people. We don’t have them to waste!” Hall’s voice echoed through the command center. The ship had a new course and was pushing away from the Oort Cloud. The battleship and support ship accompanied it and mirrored their actions. All of the ships on patrol received and carried out their orders.

“The Yard is combat ready,” Guy reported. “And the station is online. Running systems check on the defensive systems around Tricticus. The troop transports are moving into the planet’s orbit.”

Hall nodded. All of the forces were reacting quickly and without hiccups. It looked as though that extra training had paid off.

“Weapons check, all good,” Celik reported.

“Launchers and pilots are good,” Celiah, their newest member of the command crew in charge of the RSDs and seeder vessels of the carrier, reported.

“Sensors are good,” Rasalov said.

“Engines are good and we’re underway,” Yeltsin reported.

“Good.” Hall cleared his hologram as he looked to the last member of the command crew. “Guy, I want all patrols at the rally point, in no more than ninety minutes. I want to catch these Luyten bastards with their pants down.”

Chapter Seventy-One

Crisidium

Tricticus, Emarl System

10/3557

Hael stood on the balcony, looking up into the skies, when he heard his wife moving through the room behind him.

She didn’t say anything, just hugged him from the side.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. “Today we put our fate in the hands of others.” Hael’s voice was deep and filled with emotions.

“We put it in the hands of our people. They’re not called the Emarl navy for nothing,” Thia reminded him.

“I know.” Hael looked up, as if his eyes could see through the skies and into space beyond, to that battlefield. He pictured the Emarl Navy Ships they’d sent on their way with amazing clarity.

Across Tricticus and Emarl, people were wondering what the outcome would be. If their dreams and future would be realized, or cut off.

In that pressure, they weren’t from the EMF, the Legion, Crisidium or Fornau, Masoul or Osdal. They were from Emarl, hoping that they and their home was safe.

Hael’s NIAI then showed him a hologram of the Emarl system as the nine patrol groups transported away from the Oort Cloud.

The first moves had been made.

Chapter Seventy-Two

ENS Homeland

Rally Point Twenty-Four, Emarl System

10/3557

“Patrol Three has transitioned and they are moving into formation,” Guy reported.

“Seen,” Hall said as he saw the sixth patrol moving to join the other five.

The patrols were dotted all around the system, but as they were only transitioning a few light-hours instead of parsecs, they weren’t even draining the power of their batteries as their Alcubierre drives were used to make micro hops between the different rally points.

With Patrol Three, the ENS Moby had attached itself.

The Moby moved to the lead edge of the formation that was spread out in a large rectangle, facing forward.

The Moby was not only the largest ship in the EN fleet; with its upgrades and new abilities, it was one of the deadliest. Having it at the front meant it could blunt the attacks of the enemy and deal out some true punishment.

It wasn’t long until the other patrols started to show up and move into formation.

Forty minutes later, Rasalov turned to Hall. “All forces are ready and in formation, Admiral.”

“Very good, Rasalov. Mister Yeltsin, Guy, please link with the rest of the fleet and we will transition as one.”

“Yes, Admiral,” they said together and worked on their screens.

“Transition in twenty seconds,” Yeltsin said a few moments later.

Hall let out a breath, hiding it from the others as he hoped his plan would work out.

To the LMFCs, they were still patrolling as they saw four hours in the past. They wouldn’t be expecting anything as they had no indication that the enemy had even moved.

It was only their opening move but if he could catch them off on the wrong foot and push them, then he could control the battlefield.

The counter reached zero. The Alcubierre drives activated across the fleet, moving them from rally point twenty-four to a new location behind the enemy fleet.

Chapter Seventy-Three

Senator Rimateus’s Estate

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3557

The food and the drinks were flowing, as usual in his household. The dignitaries and people around him were settled into a party downstairs. Everyone was here. Most of the senate, surely. Rimateus wanted this night to be nothing but spectacular and as the food supply worries had eased off a little, it was paramount to keeping the royals and loyals around Roma happy.

Upstairs and in a private suite, Rimateus sat with those he trusted, as well as his other friends. Tonight, these “others” would learn what it was like to be a true leader, to dominate everyone.

He was feeling excited, the wine coursing through him, warming his mind as well as inebriating his tongue. But he knew after this, things would be very different. He could claim not only what was left of the mergers, but the throne if he needed to. As much as he was watching Emarl, he was also watching others around Roma. His operatives were in place and ready to take down those he needed. That included Cassius, Julio, and Fabius. Where Damus was, though, had him worried. There’d been no sign of him for a few days.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, Rimateus glanced to the people around him, their excited chatter on taking over Emarl pulling him back in.

“Then, as Rimateus said, we’ll be just cleaning up the rats and making sure they don’t get to intrude on our business ever again.”

Kris eyed Rimateus while speaking.

But he looked to the screen and the information coming in. They were waiting to see Emarl for what it was worth. It had been a long time since they visited. When Roma was here last, it was a very underdeveloped area of space. The people had barely any tech and as usual were fighting more among themselves than actually trying to do something worthy. So they moved on and left them to it, expecting to return when it was a more prosperous part of space. The fact that the Victor Corp had chosen it was more for its position in space, away from everyone else. Travel time to Emarl alone was a huge factor in the reasons to why it hadn’t been explored more.

Rimateus checked the countdown. His forces would be there any second and they’d get full views of what was going on.

As the screens before the room flickered, there was a small gasp. His eyes didn’t quite focus as much as they should. Everything looked vastly different than he thought.

“What is that?” Edav said.

Rimateus turned to his NIAI and pulled up all the scans they had of Emarl to compare it quickly to those he now saw.

The wine that had made him feel happy moments before now turned his stomach.

There were not only the refineries there from Osdal—he expected that they might be there—but to his surprise, they were up and running.

The Yard was now twice the size it was when it left Earth. With ring upon ring, and then out-shoots for more sections, they were building... Then he saw it.

“That’s not possible!” Kris said.

Confusion started to spread through his guests. “They’re mining, building? Rimateus, what’s going on? How could they get all this there in time?”

“I don’t understand.”

“How could they?”

Rimateus could only stare. “No, it’s not possible. It’s impossible. They shouldn’t have any ships. They shouldn’t have...”

But it stared him in the face. Emarl not only had ships, but warships.

Rimateus put down his wine, clapped his hands together and tried to get the attention of everyone in the room. It couldn’t go down like this. They needed to win. They must win.

Chapter Seventy-Four

Emperor’s Residence

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3557

Zedra stood with Moretti. She had an air of confidence about her that he’d started to like. On the screens before them, and linked through Moretti’s NIAI, were almost a hundred different views, a hundred locations and their goings-on. This was their phase one push.

Watching their operatives around the city, all their key points had one thing going for them. They’d had all the time in the world to plan this and now it was time to execute.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Zedra pour a drink into two tumblers, the amber liquid swirling in the glass as she brought it to him.

“Not usually a drinker when I’m this deep.” Moretti smiled. “We’ve a few things to execute ourselves.”

He then watched as she pulled a small vial from her hip, adding a few drops to them both. “This will help.”

“Help what?” he asked as she passed it to him. Moretti took the tumbler and sniffed its contents. He could smell the alcohol. Its neat and yet sharp essence now contained the hint of something else.

“It will help with the butterflies.”

Moretti almost choked. “You of all people should know men of my standing don’t get butterflies.”

Zedra smiled and sipped her drink. “M, what we’re about to do is not only the biggest operation that Roma has ever witnessed, but it’s coordinated across the galaxies. This is the biggest operation that anyone will ever complete. One that most likely no one will ever learn about. You’re honestly telling me that there’s not one tiny ounce of nerves in there?”

Moretti held still as she lightly poked the hard muscles of his abdomen. He thought about it for one second, then he took a sip from the tumbler. “You’re right. I guess there may be a couple of butterflies...”

When he turned back to the holo screens and the view of the most important part of their ploy, the science base, those butterflies still buzzed.

“When there’s everything riding on but a few,” Moretti said, “there’s nothing left but to dive in as deep as you can and hope you can reach the surface.”

Zedra looked to him as he spoke. “When that surface seems like a million miles away, do you know what you do?” Zedra turned back to the screens. “You kick like fuck and hope that you can hold your breath till you burst.”

Moretti chuckled. “Exactly.”

This time when he looked back, he watched the one operative he’d spent the most time with: Sertoria. She and Zedra were now working together to not only surround the base, but to be on the inside. Being on the inside for them was their best bet; Sertoria was their best bet. The scientists were to go down first. Each key player in this had one job: watch the time.

Zedra raised an eyebrow at him. “You like her?”

Moretti looked away, to another screen. “Like who?”

“Sertoria…”

He tried to stop himself, but he was sure he blushed. “I’ve liked a lot of people over my time.”

“Huh,” Zedra said. “All right then.”

She tapped the clock face on the screen.

At twenty-two hundred, they’d all have a job to do. The kill switch would be pulled. All they needed in their ear was the one command from Zedra and M. One word would end the lives of all the scum that was plaguing Roma and the Union. That word would never be used again in this context, never spoken about afterward.

“We really truly ready for this?” Moretti asked.

“Not quite.” Zedra moved to put on her armor and weaponry. Whereas M already had his hidden away. Zedra looked to him and he didn’t see anything but sheer determination. “The seven sins can be perceived as just that, sins. You don’t need to be a person of faith, or of Roma to know the truth when you see it. We are ready. I do not think Roma is ready for this change, but with the right people behind her, she will adapt. She will thrive again.”

Moretti knew she was right. He wasn’t a man of faith, but he knew rot, evil, and destruction. They mostly came about because of two things: greed and power. Those two items alone made all the difference; with one usually came the other.

Moretti looked to the Emarl system now. He’d had no idea as to what was going on there, just that it had been gathering. Now that he started to see the real-time images that Rimateus was, and that were probably broadcasting about his fellow senators, he knew that keeping this from him had been the right decision. Roma might have had the largest fleets, the most power resources, but now, no. It belonged most obviously to Emarl, and thus to the Victors.

Moretti watched as Zedra gathered the rest of her equipment, dressed as she might usually have. Now she slipped on armor and with ease strapped on her sword. She patted her chest. “Now we’re ready.”

Their phase one had really just begun.

Chapter Seventy-Five

LMFC Righteous

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

“Then, once we have defeated the ground units in detail, it would be good to escape the system and then hit the different facilities such as the refineries,” Strong said. They had been in meetings since they arrived in-system, going through plan after plan before arriving on their current edition.

“Hit the Yard at range, then the station before pounding the ground below into oblivion. If it looks like the patrols are going to capture us, we bring them under fire. With just two ships against twenty, they don’t stand a chance,” Karain said with a note of approval.

Strong saw through her and her ways. Like how she had tried to seduce him this entire trip. He might give in to his wants later, but he didn’t want Senator Rimateus thinking he was shirking his duties before they had victory.

“If we get entangled, we will exit the system, transit around it and hit the refineries or the patrols or the planet,” General Tau added, nodding.

It was a good plan and it would allow them to use their numbers and cause chaos in the Emarl system as quickly as possible.

“Then we are agreed,” Strong said as an alarm went off.

He looked up with a frown. The holographic General Tau shimmered slightly as he turned around too.

“What is that noise?” Admiral Karain demanded, angry at having her meeting interrupted.

“We’ve got transition signals!” a sensor operator yelled, panicked.

Strong cleared the map filled with plans and then brought up a real-time map of the area around the fleet. His stomach dropped and his extremities went cold as his scalp tingled.

“Fuck! Put us at our best speed for the Yard with a course out of the system!” Strong yelled.

The navigation officer looked to Karain.

“Do it!” she barked, confused by the order. As she looked at the map, it was clear that she didn’t see what Strong did.

“They exited the system, used their Alcubierre drives to regroup and they’re coming in right behind us. They’re still far away, but we don’t know what these ships are capable of. They must’ve known that we were coming and planned accordingly. This kind of coordination—fuck.” Strong shook his head.

He revised who he was fighting. They weren’t a bunch of hillbillies but a trained and potent navy. He expected that Admiral Hall, who had only led Earth Military Force carriers, wouldn’t be up to the job of commanding a fleet like this one.

He also got his first look at the Emarl navy’s newest battleships and carriers. Information such as the number of guns they had was readily available, but otherwise the infographic on the ships was filled with question marks.

These weapons hadn’t been seen before.

Seeing their best guesses, it looked as if they had smaller missiles than legion standard and they had rail cannons, power and payload unknown.

The carriers hadn’t opened their acceleration rails, so there was no knowing what kind of ships that they held.

“Bring everyone to full readiness. I want the gliders ready to deploy if needed,” Strong said.

Karain looked at Strong, a questioning look in her eyes.

“Seems that the Emarl navy is really damn focused on fucking up our plans,” Strong replied to her look.

“Though they’re just some backwater system,” Karain said.

“Backwater? They just pulled nineteen true warships, that look like they were made to hunt down other ships, out of nowhere. No, this ain’t some backwater. If my gut is right, those warships might be more advanced than what the legion has.” Strong gritted his teeth.

“We can still defeat them,” Karain said, assured in her strength.

“We should be able to, but we need to stay together. We won’t be able to inflict the damage that our masters want.” Strong was looking at the map, trying to think of the way to bring the most damage and escape with his life.

Having nineteen ships on his ass was one way to truly motivate someone.

The hunters become the hunted, Strong couldn’t help but think sourly.

Chapter Seventy-Six

Senator Rimateus’s Residence

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3557

Rimateus laughed at Senator Kris’s joke. The others around them fell into laughter.

Around them, they could see the information coming back from the Luyten fleet. They had their own front-row seat to the action.

To them, it was an exclusive event, the kind that they attended but didn’t share, like their blood sports.

Rimateus moved to another room and looked over the system. The information showed that the system was more developed. There was a man examining the forces and talking to a few women with him, explaining everything as if he were some grand strategist.

Rimateus smiled and hid his eyes behind the cup. The fop had little power, but he still liked to show off at different parties. People like him weren’t worth Rimateus’s attention.

“I thought I might find you here,” Benefactor Yi said into Rimateus’s ear, her voice slow and seductive.

“Benefactor Yi.” Rimateus grabbed her hand and bowed to her. “It is great to see you.” Rimateus laughed as he moved closer to her.

Her eyes lifted in interest, moving from his chest to his eyes. “You do know how to make a lady feel flattered.” She drank from her glass, her playful side falling to the side a bit as she activated a sound-cancelling device in one of her rings.

“I thought you told me that this system was cleared of all threats—that they were nothing but a backwater,” Yi said, her anger clear.

Rimateus frowned slightly. He hadn’t anticipated so many forces in the Emarl system either.

“You saw the same information and prediction models as I did. We didn’t know that they were going to start waking up Earth carriers and bring all of those people into the system, or that they would set up skill schools and start training everyone,” Rimateus said in a low and angry voice in her ear.

Yi looked Rimateus over from the corner of her eye, drinking from her glass slowly. “We have a lot riding on this. We must make sure it doesn’t fail.”

The hologram changed around them. The patrols were still being reported around the system, but now there were nineteen ships coming right up the Luyten fleet’s back end.

Rimateus looked over to the new development. “How the hell are they there? Aren’t they still patrolling?” Rimateus muttered, confused.

“They must have a faster-than-light sensor system in place. They used that to see our fleet coming in, then they left the system. Using micro transits with their Alcubierre drives, they got in behind our fleet. It looks like our forces are aiming for the Yard.” Yi’s analytical voice cut through Rimateus’s confusion.

“It’s still twenty-three against nineteen, though,” Rimateus said.

“That is true and we have tonnage on our side. But those ships—I haven’t seen anything like them before. When they fight, the Luyten forces are going to need to do everything at their disposal to make sure that they defeat them.” Yi’s voice calmed Rimateus. It looked as if things wouldn’t go as smoothly as he had hoped, but their goals would be realized and they would still be able to carry out their plans.

Rimateus’s NIAI tried to interrupt him but he shook his hand, dismissing it. Yi was one of the pillars in his growing strength; he didn’t want her to feel as though she wasn’t important. Also, she had shown that she was not just a pretty face; she had an inner strength and eye for tactical matters that Rimateus didn’t.

Both of these factors made her more attractive to him.

“I will trust in my lady’s words,” Rimateus said.

Yi’s smile reappeared as she hit her ring once again and the noise from around them seeped in.

“Twenty-three against nineteen! Hah! I could win with half of their numbers!” one of the senators said.

His followers laughed and reassured him.

Then the nineteen ships accelerated.

“Are those numbers real?” A frown appeared on Yi’s face as she looked at the fleet.

“What?” Rimateus asked.

“That acceleration profile. That’s faster than the quick reaction ships of the legion. They’re nearing the speeds that one might find in a racing craft.”

Rimateus was alarmed. It seemed nothing that they had predicted for the Emarl system was right.

Again, he shook his hand, dismissing his NIAI from contacting him as he focused on what was happening in front of him.

Chapter Seventy-Seven

ENS Moby

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

“Looks like they aren’t all that fast,” Taelyon said.

The others on the bridge watched as the distance between the Emarl fleet and the Luyten fleet shortened as they got closer and closer.

Now they were at ranges where their ships’ sensors were getting real-time updates instead of having to rely on the sensor platforms that had been sown through the system.

“All captains, this is Admiral Hall. Prepare to present broadsides. Run the guns.”

The announcement came across the bridge as Travestki passed the order on to his gunners.

Chen could only shake his head. Their gunners weren’t normal in the slightest. Instead of using AI for their targeting solutions, they had mergers manning their weapon emplacements. With reaction times that were down to tenths of a second, once hooked up to the cannons they were in fact better than the AI systems.

“Missile tubes are open. RSDs are being loaded,” Travestki reported.

Chen sat back in his seat, merging with the ship.

The gunners were checking their weapons. Armored sections of hull opened to reveal missile tubes. The Alcubierre drive had been tucked away into its own armored sections.

The main armored doors that led into the landing bay were opened to reveal the RSD and seeder’s launcher system.

The ship’s weaponry was all activated. The reactors ramped up, ready to supply the massive power needed for these different weapon systems.

The different merging-capable people all started to merge with the ship, bringing new areas online. The Moby changed from just being a ship to a warship.

Chen could feel the power at his fingertips, the slightest gesture capable of moving the entire ship and raining down destruction on their enemies.

“Present broadside!” Hall said.

The entire fleet except the supply ships started to move, their rear end swinging around as they cut their main engines, drifting on their built-up inertia now. The ship’s port or starboard sides were now facing the rear of the Luyten fleet that was accelerating through the system still, leaving their engines pointing at the Emarl fleet.

Firing solutions for the entire fleet were compiled in seconds; guns moved onto target and trajectories for the missiles were altered.

“All ships fire!”

Chen felt the Moby shift as the rail cannons fired as one, followed by a volley of missiles and another blast from the rail cannons.

The plot started to fill with tens, then hundreds of different small little wasp-looking items that were rail cannon rounds and missiles closing in on the Luyten fleet.

They came in, wave after wave, stacked on one another, just targeting three of the Luyten fleet’s ships, inundating them with weapons fire.

The Luyten fleet looked to be reacting as they were now turning their broadsides to meet the Emarl fleet.

It looked as if they were confident that they could overwhelm the Emarl fleet and win in a battle of fire superiority.

Chen felt the Moby working at full capacity as they fired again and again, just watching the slow and laborious maneuvering of the Luyten fleet.

A cold smile could be seen on his face as the Luyten fleet turned.

The firing solution changed as new targets were selected.

Taelyon shifted the ship as the rail cannons and missiles once again sent their payloads off, with the rest of the fleet joining in.

The Luyten forces completed turning their broadsides to meet the Emarl fleet. Their rail cannons and missiles started to fire.

“Looks like they’re heavily reliant on missile systems,” Francis reported. There were many more missiles than rail rounds coming toward the Emarl forces.

“All ships, prepare to go skinny and accelerate.” Hall’s voice came across the main channel as the weapons fire tracks started to intersect with one another.

Space might be massive but their fire was passing close to one another, so there was the occasional explosion as the opposing forces met.

“Turn and burn,” Admiral Hall ordered.

The ships of the fleet fired their thrusters. The heavy gravity made everyone feel sluggish as they went from showing their broadside to facing the Luyten fleet head on.

Decoys and defensive systems started to fire, creating a screen for the incoming missiles to distract and pull them off their main target. The ship’s engines went to full thrust, showing their true acceleration profile, which was thirty percent higher than what they’d displayed before.

Everyone was pressed back into their seats as the acceleration hit them hard, their speed increasing at an incredible rate.

“Prepare for close action, five minutes!” Francis called out.

“Good and ready here,” Travestki reported.

Taelyon pushed the engines faster. The Moby lurched ahead of the other ships as they moved into formation behind, creating three sections. The Moby was up front and in the middle, while the remaining fleet was split into two columns farther back and on either side of the ship.

Chapter Seventy-Eight

LMFC Righteous

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Karain watched the Emarl fleet turn to present their guns and fire on her fleet.

“Bring our broadsides to bear. Let’s show them what firepower really means!” Karain said. Even though she had taken this position to increase her standing, she was excited to see how their ships performed.

The Luyten force’s movements were just slightly less coordinated compared to the Emarl ships.

Karain’s people had been trained by Rimateus’s advisors and turned into true captains and crews.

Although their reactions were good, their ships’ speed was slow. They were massive ships and shifting something that size and weight was no simple job.

The Emarl ships continued to fire their cannons and unleash volleys of missiles again and again, creating a sea of fire.

With turning their ships, Karain’s fleet couldn’t accelerate anymore and with their lower velocity compared to the Emarl fleet, they were closing in on one another.

She looked over to Strong, whose impassive face didn’t give anything away.

He was still standing at the command table, looking over the battlefield.

The ships stopped moving and opened up with their broadsides. The leading missiles from the Emarl fleet were a third of the distance to their own fleet.

“Defensive systems to max! Fire on the Emarl fleet!” Karain yelled.

The rail cannon rounds and missiles from the Emarl fleet were hard to track in the depths of space. It was only when they got in close that the command table started to populate with sensor readings.

“Shit,” Strong hissed. The two approaching volleys of weapons fire converged.

Karain frowned as missiles started to explode. They were much more powerful than she thought they would be.

“Their rail gun rounds have an anti-matter payload in them!” Strong yelled out, looking to Karain.

“The enemy ships are shifting into a new formation!” a sensor operator said as the Emarl fleet turned around and started to accelerate for all they were worth.

“They were hiding their true acceleration! Get us turned around—they’re going to cross our formation!” Strong barked.

“Turn the ships!” Karain yelled. An uneasy feeling made her grit her teeth and grip her armrests.

She had been told of the power of anti-matter. After all, she had a number of weapons that had been secretly handed to her just in case an issue arose.

These weapons were much more terrifying than nuclear warheads that she was at least familiar with.

The weapons fire crossed one another. There were a few explosions as all of the Luyten ships slowly started to rotate.

Admiral Hall had waited until they were all set in their positions before he had his fleet charge forward.

This meant they had to go from a stationary position, requiring more energy and taking a longer time to rotate around.

Karain was cursing the other admiral in her mind. It looked as though he was a lot more capable than she thought.

The fleet hadn’t finished turning when the first rounds moved in close to their targets.

Close-in defense systems started spewing out rounds as explosions appeared around three ships in the fleet. They were the biggest ships in the fleet and had the greatest mass, so they were even slower than the other ships in trying to turn.

Missiles rocked even the massive converted freighter before the rounds seemed to come out of nowhere and slam into the side of the carrier.

The anti-matter rounds were devastating. There was only a few ounces in the rail cannon rounds but their destructive force was to be realized. When they hit the freighters, sections of armor were torn apart and the ship spat out atmosphere, metal, and people into space.

The ships shuddered again and again under the withering firepower.

Karain watched as the two targeted freighters were hit again and again.

The defensive systems couldn’t cope as decoys appeared, confusing them.

More of the missiles started to get closer.

Unlike the nuclear missiles, these anti-matter missiles’ power was much stronger, allowing them to reach out and slap the carriers around, breaking structural members of the ships that were under acceleration.

At their core, these ships weren’t purpose-built warships but reinforced freighters. They had massive engines and they were meant to go long distances, not to weather the firepower of hundreds of missiles and rail cannon rounds with anti-matter embedded within.

“How the hell do they have so much anti-matter? This kind of use—it would be a waste for the Union,” Karain heard Strong’s mutterings as she felt his unsurety.

“Emarl fleet is launching small craft!” a sensor operator said as ships screamed out from the carriers, entering the battlefield.

There were even some that came from the battleship. albeit in lower numbers.

“Captain of the LMFC Grouasl reports that his ship is being torn apart by weapons fire!” Not a few moments later, the LMFC Grouasl was ripped apart under the stresses of the Emarl firepower.

As the broken sections started to drift, there was no mercy or halting the oncoming volleys.

The second freighter under fire shook and buckled; sections started to stop working, with multiple power systems failing.

An anti-matter-laden missile exploded just three hundred meters from the ship. A large section of the ship simply disappeared and the broken remainder was blasted away. Sections started to fall apart as round after round smashed the freighter apart and missiles tore at the remains.

“Focus fire on the Moby!” Strong yelled out as the communications officer passed on his orders.

The incoming fire had come in a rush, destroying the two freighters.

They might be large ships but they couldn’t stand up to the concentrated fire of nineteen warships.

Their fire started to arrive on the Emarl system ships. Defensive fire lanced out at the oncoming hell. With their sensor platforms dotted all over the system, they were able to engage the rounds and missiles at a longer distance, reducing the effect of the volleys before they arrived.

Karain watched as the Moby fired back. She had never seen anything like it; they used missiles, cannons, and defensive systems to break apart the oncoming firepower.

The whole Emarl fleet worked together as they deployed more small craft that also worked to fight the incoming wave of fire.

“Deploy the gliders!” Strong said.

Orders were passed as the gliders started to fly out of the carriers. Their deployment systems were slower, but they seemed to come out in unending waves across the Luyten fleet.

The Emarl fleet’s defenses were impressive, but it wasn’t enough to stop everything.

Missiles started exploding closer and closer to the Emarl ships as rail cannon rounds made the ships buck, with armor panels exploding. Different ships were hit worse than others, with sections of their ships being opened to space.

Karain felt a savage satisfaction.

“We’ve got a report from the LMFC Trailblazer. They’ve lost a lot of their thrusters and they have problems with their main engines!” a communications officer yelled.

The ship in question had a missile erupt behind it near its engines. The whole area was a mass of broken and twisted metal. Something exploded in the ship but it kept on slowly limping around.

“Direct hits on the Moby!” a sensor operator yelled out, their tone heated as they got some payback for their losses.

The Moby was weathering a storm of fire but the retired space legion ship was no longer the junker that had been in the Hellenic system for centuries.

The vessel blasted through missiles and took hits from the rail cannon rounds. A section was ripped off the Moby as a rail cannon round ripped off armored panels.

“What?” Karain said. The savage scar in the side of the ship started to repair itself. Molten metal poured into the wound, smoothing it out and repairing the wound.

A cannon mount took a direct hit, the mount being turned into slag as the round made the ship shudder.

Atmosphere escaped the ship before again that molten metal covered it and the rail cannon mount started to reappear as it was being built stage by stage.

“Shit! The mergers must be using the nanites to repair the ship!” Strong saw the same thing as her as the ship charged forth, weathering incoming attacks.

They were like juggernauts, taking the hits and moving forward, surrounded by a halo of fire as close-in defense fire fended off attacks.

The Moby was being hit hard, but it continued to move forward and repair itself.

“They’re coming into close range,” a sensor operator announced.

Once the two forces intersected, they would be among each other’s formations for only a few seconds. But in those seconds, the majority of the damage would be dealt.

Karain looked at the fleet’s positions. Her people were disorganized as they fought to bring their freighters around. They wouldn’t have enough time to do so; they’d underestimated the speed of the Emarl ships.

Karain had a faint premonition. If we’ve underestimated them thus far, what the hell are we going to be running into?

The fighting had just started and she’d lost two ships already; one ship was badly damaged, to the point that it nearly couldn’t move.

Her NIAI started to highlight messages coming from the other captains. It looked as if their confidence was being rocked; they had expected to walk all over the Emarl system and its forces. Now it looked as though it would be anything but a cakewalk.

Hits struck the LMFC Trailblazer again, peppering its hull with explosions. The ship bucked and shook. Its armored panels ripped off as rounds continued to hammer its softer internals. Hit after hit rained down on it as Karain mentally removed it from her order of battle.

Three ships—now we just have one more than them.

Chapter Seventy-Nine

ENS Homeland

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

“ENS Titan has taken direct hits on their bow. They are repairing as we speak,” Guy reported, checking the different streams of information that came in. “The Moby is holding its own currently; there are reports of wounded and dead. ENS Forsight reports that one of their RSD launchers is down.”

Hall listened and looked at the tactical map. All of the RSDs and seeders had been deployed and were using the previous volleys as cover as they advanced.

Their rail cannons fired, trying to clear out the missiles that they came across.

RSDs and seeders were destroyed but new ones were ready and waiting on the warships, their pilots buried in the depths of the ships, ready to fight again.

Hall had set up a multi-layered advance. With their wall of fire, they had shocked and shaken the Luyten forces. They’d targeted three ships and taken out the three ships. The Luyten forces were better commanded than Hall had hoped for.

When seeing the Emarl’s advance, the ships had immediately started to shift so that they could keep their broadsides facing the Emarl.

The screen of missiles and rail cannon fire died down against the Luyten forces as the fire that the Emarl forces had to weather only increased.

He was surprised with the tenacity of the ENS Moby. Even under such fire, the ship was constantly repairing itself and fighting on. Being a bullet magnet spread the stress of close-in defense of the other ships.

“RSDs are going in,” Rasalov said.

Hall nodded. Soon it would be the turn of the actual warships going toe-to-toe with the converted freighters.

***

“Looks like all of our cover is gone. Time we earned our pay,” Flight Commander Yu said. His formation seemed to explode outward as the rapid support drones spread out to make it harder for a missile to catch and destroy them.

The RSD pilots were a mix of humans and mergers. All of them had been training since the RSDs had been proposed.

They all lay in their different pods that had moved with the craft and their projections that fed them real-time information on what their ships were going through.

“On your wing.” Young was still a few kilometers away from him but it was enough to be in mutual support.

“Couldn’t leave you two to have all of the fun,” Bobbie said as he moved up on the other side of Yu’s wing.

When they had become mergers, Bobbie had learned how to fly so he could run in support of his two friends.

They were still primarily a drop-ship crew, for the merger forces, but they could double up as RSD pilots as well.

The three of them moved erratically and shot out flares and decoys to distract the freighters as they closed in on them.

“Gliders moving in!” Young said, shooting down and rolling to the side as weapons fire crossed the void.

“Shit,” Bobbie muttered. He fired at the drop-ships with his rail cannons and started firing his missiles. They were small but had a deadly anti-matter payload.

A group of four gliders were blown apart with one of the anti-matter missiles as Young came back out of her dive and stitched up another with her rail cannon.

Yu barely rolled to the side, while firing and using his maneuvering thrusters, bringing him onto one target and then using thrusters on the nose of his craft to bring him onto another target and fire on them.

Bobbie weaved but after his display with the missiles, the gliders seemed to gang up on him. He wasn’t able to miss all of their rail cannons; his ship was compromised and turned into an expanding explosion of anti-matter.

“Fucking shit birds!” Bobbie yelled. “I’ll be back out with the second flight.”

“Good stuff,” Yu said as he cut through the glider formation. His rail cannon made the craft shake as a stream of rounds cut through a glider, which continued on in a straight line, its crew dead.

Yu checked his surroundings. He was in close to a freighter; it started to open up fire on him and gliders moved to intercept. He could see another RSD off in the distance, making the approach and getting chewed up by a stream of rail cannon fire.

Yu’s missile hatch opened as he targeted the freighter and fired his missiles.

They shot forward like metal darts. Their powerful engines accelerated them faster and faster. The close-in defense systems took some of them out as Yu maneuvered around, launching missiles again and again as Young, coming in behind him, moved in on her final run and fired her payload of missiles at the freighter.

As soon as it had appeared, it was gone. They came out on the other side of the Luyten formation. Five or six of their missiles hit, with others coming in from other sides. The anti-matter explosions tore at the ship’s hull, peeling back its layers and destroying different weapon mounts.

The freighter wasn’t defeated, but its hull had been damaged badly, leaving entire sections open to space and twisted and melted metal behind.

Seeing that there were no more targets, Yu exited the craft and entered another craft meant for wave two.

“Feels like we’re cheating,” Young said as she did the same.

“What? One pilot—two ships. Just seems fair.” Yu checked the system on the new RSD as it was being loaded into the ship’s launcher. The RSD’s strength came from the fact that although it took a trained pilot to use them, they wouldn’t lose a pilot if the ship was destroyed.

Yu was thrown back in his seat as the RSD accelerated and shot out of the Moby.

Other RSDs and seeders appeared from the other carriers and battleships, allowing the numbers of the fleet to swell once again.

The ships moved into fighting groups and positioned themselves quickly. Missiles poured out from the Emarl fleet’s ships. Now they didn’t come in volleys but one after another in a massive display of firepower.

The lead cannons started firing as the RSDs shot away from the fleet, moving to engage the oncoming gliders and then reach the freighters beyond.

At this range, there was little time for either force to react as they poured fire into one another and the battlespace turned into chaos.

Yu merged with his RSD, spinning around to avoid enemy fire. His cannons blared as targets appeared.

He fought against acceleration as he banked out of a dive. His engines worked at full thrust as he came under fire that pinged his craft. Warning lights went off as he was already trying to shake them off. The damage only increased as he punched his engines to full, heading for a nearby freighter.

Yu gritted his teeth as he fought the ship’s controls. The RSD’s feedback was getting worse and worse as he tried to dodge more gliders and then incoming freighter fire.

He fired his rail cannons, knowing that he couldn’t last much longer. His drone was starting to fail and there wasn’t anything that he could do.

Young was pushing hard and her craft was in much better shape.

“Go for it—I’ll cover,” Yu said as his missile hatch snapped open and he launched missiles at a wing of incoming gliders.

Explosions appeared in front of them, blocking them off from Young as she pushed her craft to its top speed.

Yu fought to follow her. She’d engage targets, only to fly past them as Yu would finish them off. Yu saw as a wave of missiles came at him from the gliders.

He slewed his ship around, firing his cannons and his missiles back at them. But it wasn’t enough as the missiles exploded and tore his ship apart.

Chapter Eighty

Legion Headquarters

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3557

Moretti followed Zedra through the legion headquarters with his head held high, fully focused. She needed no guards with her, but there were still two flanking either side of them. It would look like a regular visitation to the complex, but he knew that this was going to be the first blood of the days ahead.

She paused by a doorway. Inside were her leading men; they’d also been placed in key points throughout the facility. There was only one man in here she particularly wanted and had informed Moretti previously that he was working to double-cross them. His recall to their headquarters had been planned carefully, asking him to deal with Hesra and his trial. Now with the trial over and Hesra probably sitting at home, getting drunk, it was time to see both plots sealed.

Zedra entered the room. The four men who were with Farius looked up, recognized her and had their hands on the hilts before even Farius could react.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Legate Fabius Losa Varius asked.

Moretti linked in with his operatives throughout the complex. All seventeen of them reported in straight away.

“Phase one, comply,” he said, knowing all too well that these trained killers, both his and Zedra’s, would execute the traitors here. Tonight, their blood would flow.

Zedra spoke clear, for all of them to hear. “By the trust given to me by Emperor Cassius and the Roma Legion, it is tonight we cleanse her ranks to begin again.”

Varius’s left eye twitched, but Zedra was too fast. Her sword was drawn, and she stepped forward in one quick and effective strike.

Varius’s eyes widened, and his guards stood to help, but it was already too late. Moretti didn’t need to do anything to even react; the blood around him ran freely.

The links in from those around the facility started to come in.

Moretti looked to Zedra as Farius’s body dropped to the floor.

“Phase one complete, Legate.”

Zedra moved to the main systems. “Easier if you link in and remove access. Lock the facility down.”

While Moretti did so, she gave her two guards other orders. “We have a slight detour before we head to the science facility.”

“Interesting.” After completing his tasks, Moretti turned to her. She had a different look about her now and he liked it; he saw nothing but blood lust.

When he followed her out of HQ, a shuttle waited and she hopped in. The driver knew where to take her.

This was somewhere he’d not expected. Hesra’s house was just outside the legion’s grounds. Guards were stationed outside and around it, but they let the vehicle inside without a question.

“This one’s for your friends, the mergers.” Zedra left the vehicle, and moved to the front door.

There was no pleasure to be sought from this, but it would make a few finally feel as if there was real justice. Hesra’s trial had been a joke—no political remorse, no repercussions for his clear actions. Everything white-washed and only his status and rankings removed. He clearly wasn’t suffering, living in this house, with this amount of money behind him.

Zedra was swift once inside, and together they swept the downstairs rooms. Hesra wasn’t in any of them.

Moretti checked his NIAI, and spoke for her to hear clearly. “He’s in a secure room in the basement.”

Zedra raised an eyebrow. “You think he knew someone was coming?”

“Wouldn’t you? He might not have known when, but he’s not stupid.”

They made their way through the house and to the room. It was locked. Moretti grinned this time as he made quick work on it.

“Thanks,” Zedra said and slipped through. “Make sure this death is recorded and transmitted to your friends.”

Moretti was quick behind her. He heard a scream—a young woman. How Hesra had managed to get her to agree to sleep with him and stay in this room he’d no idea… It was the pit of disgust. Filthy. His unshaven beard and unruly hair was slick with dirt and despair. When he looked to Hesra, he saw nothing but red. That one man was responsible for the deaths of the most valued people he’d ever gotten the chance to know.

Hesra woke, scrabbling for his life. He looked to Zedra, to her drawn weapon.

She simply said, “Begin phase two, Mr. Moretti.”

She didn’t give Hesra the chance to react. With one turn and slash, her blade sliced true. Hesra’s head slid off his shoulders in a gurgling mess.

With his NIAI, Moretti sent their operatives their orders. “Phase two, comply.”

This time around Roma, the Union, and the surrounding stations, worlds, and spaceships, he knew thousands of heads would fall.

She reached out, taking hold of his mess of hair that was slipping off the bed. Still dripping, she held it out for Moretti.

Moretti took the head, his words for her direct from Mark: “Thank you.”

Zedra indicated the door. “Let’s go. Damus will be waiting.”

Chapter Eighty-One

Senator Rimateus’s Residence

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3557

Feeling a little more than tipsy, Rimateus wandered the room, making sure that each of these dignitaries were worked fully. He wasn’t sitting back now while this was happening; he was securing his place higher up.

Talking to Senator Kris was one of his biggest highlights for him. This man had money and power, and Rimateus wanted more of it.

But, he noticed that Yi had stopped drinking. “Something the matter, my dear?”

Yi turned to him. “There have been several hits across the city. My informants are saying it’s starting to cause panic.”

Rimateus grinned. “Of course it would trigger panic. This is the downfall of everyone who supported the Victors. Those ships fighting them in Emarl will crush them and then there will be no one to stand in our way.”

Senator Kris stared him down. “No, Senator Rimateus. There’s more to this than your planning. Something else is going on. I don’t think our ships are doing that well, or are we not watching the same thing on that screen?” Kris pointed toward the main viewer.

When Rimateus looked, he could see the LMF ships firing on the EN, blast after blast.

But the view changed. He wasn’t just watching them fight; he was watching his fleet take a battering. There may have been more of them, but they were pushed into a zone where it was starting to become obvious there were hidden depths to the Victor Corp.

Rimateus laughed, but his NIAI pinged in his ear. Reports were starting to come across of his operatives being taken out. Not those close to the emperor. His men. And more importantly, his men in the legion.

Rimateus could do nothing but stare as things started to unravel around him. The men and women in the room all looked to him, to see whether he could turn this around. But all he saw was red, sheer anger. His chest tightened, but nothing like heart failure happened in this day and age; it was just fake and he knew it.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he started, his words just as slippery as he was. “We might be receiving some false information. I want to assure you that my men have everything under control and that we’re more than capable of taking out the Shadow Legion.”

Yi threw him a glance. “You want to what?”

“We’re not doing this for fun,” he said. “The Shadow Legion must be eliminated.”

Kris picked up a glass. “They stand for everything that we don’t. We have better goals than keeping Roma under their old-fashioned rules.”

“Here, here.” Rimateus raised his glass too.

Yet, this time when he looked at the screen, there was still a lot more going on. He tried to contact the captain for a more direct report, but he couldn’t get through.

Instead, he contacted Atia. “Report?” he asked, knowing full well he would not be lied to by her. She was his best and was his last resort if things went really bad.

“We’ve been getting messages across the city that the legion are taking out your men. We’ve locked down the base, no one in or out, though there’s been a few trying to slip in. I put a bullet in a few myself.”

Rimateus smiled, sure she was reveling in the chaos. “Find out the truth about what’s going on. I need to get other plans in motion as soon as needed...” He wouldn’t say the words, though he felt them. If this failed, he had to not only get out of the city but find somewhere to hide. That would start by slowly winding his way across to the base. Backup plans were good. He just didn’t want to use it.

Chapter Eighty-Two

ENS Moby

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

They had entered hell.

That was all Chen could think as all of the mergers aboard the ENS Moby were merged, using all of the computing power and abilities to assist one another.

They were using nanites to repair key systems and continue to be in the fight.

Their gunners were blasting out rounds faster than their rail cannons could take, having to repair them as they were firing.

They were out of missiles and all around them, their close-in defense system was firing. Reactive armor exploded and tried to knock out the incoming missile rounds.

The ship was shaking from the continuous bombardment of rail gun rounds and explosions. A terrible tearing and shearing noise could be heard through the ship as Chen reviewed what had happened.

“Anti-matter weapons confirmed,” Francis reported to Chen.

“Reporting to the admiral,” Liang yelled, his voice tense and focused as if he was a fighter bracing his body for a punch.

The Moby lurched as a direct hit scoured their hull and tore their side apart.

Chen gritted his teeth as he felt mergers being killed by that explosion and saw people being mangled in the wreckage.

More hits landed as the Moby fought to rebuild itself and damage crews started to move to try to save people.

The Moby was being torn apart underneath them.

Chapter Eighty-Three

LMFC Righteous

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

The gliders were acting as a good screen against the missiles, relaying information back to the freighters so they had more time to react.

They also stopped a lot of the new small and deadly fighters that the Emarl navy had. The fighters were much better than the gliders at combat in space, but it didn’t take much to destroy them, if you could get a hold of them. You also couldn’t be too close or else, if you hit one of the anti-matter missiles in their hold, you’d probably be going up with them.

“Use the anti-matter weapons!” Karain yelled.

Strong made to stop her. After all, these weren’t any simple weapons and if someone saw them fighting with anti-matter, then it would become a lot harder for Rimateus. But he had okayed the weapons as a fallback plan.

The enemy had anti-matter weapons anyway, so it didn’t seem to matter.

Strong, who had never seen so much anti-matter being thrown around, had cold sweat on his back as anti-matter missiles were fired from different freighters.

The Emarl fleet erupted in fire as they entered the Luyten forces. RSDs moved through their formations as the battleships unleashed hell on those around them.

Cannons on both sides blasted at one another. Missiles and their explosions rocked ships and the space itself. RSDs and gliders crossed one another in vicious dogfights, trying to get to the opposing forces where they unleashed their missiles up close and personal.

“LMFC Purge has massive power outages!”

“LMFC Prize took a direct hit from anti-matter rounds.”

“LMFC Lawmaker took multiple hits to the bow. The rounds went deep into the ship. Communications are down and the ship is drifting.”

“Direct hits on the Moby. Their hull was opened up.”

“Target Alpha Three was hit amidships—damage unknown.”

The LMFC Righteous shook. Karain had to hold onto her seat and Strong onto the table as the lights flickered.

“We’ve taken a nasty hit starboard side!”

Another series of hits shook the ship, making Karain go pale.

“LMFC Crusader and Atonement are accelerating away from the battlefield!”

The fighting left everything in chaos. Even with all of the reports, Strong knew that there was nothing that they could do as command staff. It was down to the people fighting on their ships to bring them victory or defeat.

The freighters were getting hammered, but so was the Emarl fleet.

“Charlie Nine just exploded!” an excited voice yelled a moment later.

One of the carriers had been hit, its weapons locker holding anti-matter warheads for the RSDs being struck and taking out the ship.

“Order LMFC Crusader and Atonement back into formation!” Karain yelled. Her veins popped out along her neck.

Suddenly the chaos calmed down.

As the Emarl fleet was accelerating through the Luyten fleet, the engagement lasted nearly twenty seconds.

“They are not taking our hails,” a communications officer said. The whole room was filled with conversation as people tried to get reports and up-to-date information on the conditions of the ships in the fleet.

“If they don’t return to the formation, then we’ll fire on them!” Karain spat.

This seemed to chill the command center as Strong quickly moved to Karain’s side.

“We can’t do that,” Strong hissed in her ear.

“They’re betraying us and running for it,” Karain shot back, keeping her voice just low enough so that the others couldn’t hear them.

Strong could clearly see how rattled she was right now.

“We just went through a hellish battle. If we start killing our own people, then the Emarl fleet’s job is done for them. We’ll see if our operatives can’t get control of the ships and punish those responsible,” Strong said.

This seemed to at least appease Karain as she gave Strong a terse nod. “Rescind my last order.” Karain threw herself back into her seat.

Strong hid his relief and moved to the command table, which was updating with the latest information regarding their forces’ strength and combat capability.

It was a telling sight.

Seven of the freighters were badly damaged. Three were destroyed or effectively useless. When the Emarl fleet had come in and fired their broadsides, the rounds hit most of the ships in the bow, breaking them open and then forcing their way into the weaker and unarmored interiors.

They were just freighters with containers, after all, so most of them had opened up, sending cargo containers everywhere and breaking the freighters apart into their components.

The status of the Emarl fleet was unknown but one of the ships had been destroyed outright and the others looked to be heavily damaged.

Strong didn’t watch as people rushed to repair the ships and try to get them functional again. He could feel the heavy atmosphere in the command center and across the fleet.

This was supposed to be an easy fight but the Emarl fleet that appeared out of nowhere had slapped them sideways without any effort at all.

Chapter Eighty-Four

Refinery Seventy-Seven

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Johnny was linked in with everyone he needed to be from the main hub of Seventy-Seven, and he was pacing. Up, down, up, down. Most important to him, he had Carly and Felicia on a private channel.

“You’ll wear the fucking carpet out,” Felicia said.

Johnny looked down. There was no carpet but at least he stopped pacing. “We’ve just arrived here, and we’re facing this!” His exasperation came through in quick breaths.

He looked at the 3D view he had from his position. Two of his finest were at monitoring stations and also watching the view ahead of them. Misha Naqvi and Leon Starek were eyes wide, and fully alert. He had two relief chief heads on standby, but this was already exhausting all of them. Sleep when they could; eat, drink when someone below them pushed a plate of food in their face.

Carly was the voice of reason that came through first. “Johnny, whatever happens here is the fate we all decided that day in Osdal. Whatever these assholes throw at us, we’re ready for it.”

Throw might be the actual term for what he saw coming.

Misha’s soft voice startled him. “Sir, we need to start evac.”

She pointed, and he saw it. The enemy was headed their way. “Felicia, get those miners out of there. Carly, as planned, dump and run.”

The two gals started firing off orders to their own while he stepped toward Misha’s console. The woman’s eyes were filled with fear and although she knew what to do, she’d almost frozen in place. Johnny smiled at her. “This isn’t like coordinating ships and drops, but you can do it. Leon, back her up. No one is left behind.”

Johnny watched on then as they started to work together and coordinate their efforts. This task, if handled badly, could be deadly.

But, it wasn’t that they’d never planned for this. If a major issue in the refinery itself ever cropped up, evac was a possibility. His workforce spent most of their early days training in nothing but health and safety. They’d run drills; they’d work together to make sure that each person in their section got out alive. More importantly, it was done to the letter, and it was done fast.

He had every faith in them.

Johnny, however, felt more than exhausted, and he watched the scenes unfolding before him as if they were in super, super slow motion. This was his first build, and those memories of its construction and those who had lived and died there were memories he would always cherish. However, he knew that those memories weren’t worth anything compared to seeing his people alive. Each team leader and crew were working fast and hard to save it. His life’s accomplishments, everything and everyone he cared about was here. If things turned to shit now, he knew what he had to do. Johnny sat down. A slight niggle of pain spread through his chest. He ignored it, but he wouldn’t ignore what he could see happening before him.

Chapter Eighty-Five

ENS Moby

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Mark heard the screaming of the injured and dying as he rushed forward with a group of mergers toward the damaged areas of the Moby.

The carrier had taken a pounding, being in the lead.

With most of its crew mergers and having the most advanced ship, they wouldn’t have survived if they were any other ship.

The mergers didn’t need suits and could rush from atmosphere to void, helping with getting injured, dealing with damage and pulling them back.

Merger wounded were fine, only needing to be supplied with enough materials to rebuild themselves.

It was the human crew who had suffered the most. Mark felt guilty as he passed through an air lock and entered a section that had been opened to space. It had been the port side gunnery, but rounds had ripped it apart.

Mark batted debris aside. In space, it was oddly quiet as he could only hear the footsteps that reverberated through the deck.

A group of mergers rushed past, with sealed-up stretchers with wounded that they’d found.

Mark saw other parts of people and dead who hadn’t made it and were secured to the ship.

The nanite repair systems were at work, trying to seal the area and rebuild the hull.

Mark hopped onto the hull of the ship with the rest of the team and moved aft, entering through another open section with dead who had died from rapid decompression or from shrapnel.

He shook his head. The Moby was the worst damaged ship, but it was by no means the only one.

“Shit, this one’s alive!” someone said over the net as they found a person with multiple puncture wounds from metal shards that had punched through the person’s body.

They were coughing up blood into their helmet, a look of fear in their eyes.

“You deal with the lung. I’ll deal with sealing up the rest,” Mark said. They didn’t have time to waste; the blood had made a temporary seal with the metal and the space suit, but there was no knowing how long it would last, or whether the person wouldn’t die from their injuries.

“Got it.”

The two of them used nanites, threading through the person’s space suit to stabilize them before they tried to move them. It was touch-and-go but they got them stabilized.

“Take them to the med bay,” Mark said.

“Yes, sir.” The other grabbed the injured crew member and headed toward the sealed sections of the ship.

Mark moved on with the rest of the Vanguard. With their armor, they easily passed through blocked areas and started to help with the repairs as they used their sensors to look through what was left of the ship.

There were several more survivors. They secured the bodies to the deck and set to rebuilding the ship.

They’d wiped the floor with the Luyten forces, but the fact remained that they hadn’t defeated them. Two freighters were headed off toward one of the refineries while the rest of the fleet was on a course for the Yard.

The supply ships were linking up with the other ships, passing them supplies and building replacement parts that they needed.

Ammunition was cross-loaded as the fleet prepared themselves for the next fight.

Chapter Eighty-Six

ENS Homeland

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Hall’s face was grim.

“The Moby is under repairs. Captain Chen says it will be fine if they move and repair themselves at the same time,” Guy said.

“Understood.” Hall’s voice was heavy.

They’d lost one carrier; another was out of the fight for now and a battleship’s reactor had to be jettisoned, not before it overloaded their power systems. They were working on replacing systems and running on emergency backup power relays.

The two ships were limping toward Tricticus with the wounded from the rest of the fleet.

Even though they had won the battle, tens had died and hundreds were wounded.

All of that weighed down on Hall as he checked on the forces under his command. The Moby was the worst, but the ship was quickly being repaired and with a crew of mostly mergers, although they had wounded, most of them would be combat-capable shortly.

“I’ll be in the conference room.” Hall stood from his command seat and moved to the nearby office as he sent requests to different people in the system.

It wasn’t long until Chen, Ortiz, Nerva, and Jerome were all looking at Hall.

“Right now we’ve got a problem. We’ve got the two ships heading for the refinery and then the remainder are heading for the Yard. My plan is to break off seven ships, three battleships, three carriers, and the Moby to hunt down the two freighters that are headed for the refinery. Then take the remainder of the fleet, and push the Luyten forces into the defense network around the Ark and the Yard.” Hall looked to the people around the table.

His gaze landed on Chen. “You will be in charge of the second fleet to catch those freighters. I hope that the pressure means that they might think about just running out of the system and we can hunt them down at a later date. If they surrender, then good. If not, blast them to hell.”

“Got it.” Chen nodded.

“Good.” Hall sent over a file and messages to the other captains, informing of their switch in command and their new objective.

“We’ve got them on the ropes, but they’re determined. We need to crush their morale. We’ve seen that they’re not all together. If we can get them to panic, they’ll look to flee. Now, Jerome, I want to get you and some of the RSD pilots talking. I have an idea,” Hall said.

Jerome leaned forward, ready to act.

Chapter Eighty-Seven

Mining Facility One-Seventeen

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Pela and her crew were buried deep within their chosen asteroid belt. The equipment she now used was better than anything she thought she would get her hands on, but the new refinery and jobs that had opened up within it were mind-blowing. She’d been accepted, along with Lucus, to lead a full team. And she was more than loving it. Lucus was a great hunter.

The order to evac had come across her NIAI, and then Pela had looked to Lucus. “Evac, really?”

Their team had been small, but they were deep inside a mining section that supported Refinery Seventy-Seven.

“Gondi, timing to evac safely from this point?”

“Borderline. Within parameters.”

She already knew this; it was something their team had decided when moving down to this level for the veins.

Lucus shouted for the others inside their operating hub. “Pulling out. Evac procedure, quickly, people.”

Lucus was in charge of their team. Pela hadn’t wanted the promotion, although it would have been a slight increase in her pay grade.

“Ashaeed wants to connect,” Gondi said.

While Pela was reducing the speed of the equipment to leave it where it was, she accepted his link.

“What is it? We’re in the middle of evac here.”

“I know. Please hurry.”

“We’re as fast as protocol and training allow. Don’t worry—we’ll get out in time.”

“Pela, you don’t see what we do. We’re on the surface.”

“Oh.” Pela paused in her procedure. “Let me see.”

The vid link that came in then showed her a totally different side to the goings-on. She turned to Lucus, and although there was panic trying to rise up her throat, she simply said, “Linking you in.”

When the eighteen of them had all seen the short vid shot of what was heading their way, not one of them balked.

All Pela could think of was Aileen, Remy, and Ashaeed. Her friends meant everything to her. “Aileen?” she asked Ashaeed. “Remy?”

“She’s working with him, but they’ll be out on time. We’re being sent to an evac point west of you, though.”

Pela let out a breath. They’d both be okay. She didn’t need to quite panic so much. Concentrate on her job now—that was what they all needed.

“Lucus?” one of the others asked. “What do we do?”

“To the letter, guys. If you can...double time!” Lucus replied. “Shut Arty down and get us out.”

Arty was the nickname for their digger. Pela smiled at him, turned back to her console and worked as fast as she damned could. They all did. There wasn’t time to unsee what was heading their way; there was only time to react. Gondi relayed all the information through to Lucus’s NIAI as their systems stopped working and they pulled back.

“Excellent, guys! Come on, we’re way ahead of our best evac time. Carry on like this, we’ll have the new record for the whole refinery!”

It was good he had this rapport with the others. They worked fast with the right motivations and it wasn’t just that they’d seen several things about to blast their asteroid and refinery to shreds; it was just how they rolled.

“Shuttle’s waiting on the surface,” Lucus said to her as they made their way up. “Two teams are also on their way out.”

“Timing?”

When he didn’t answer, she knew. “They’re behind. Fuck.”

Pela turned inside to see whether she could contact her friend on one of the other teams.

Nothing.

Chapter Eighty-Eight

LMFC Crusader

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Captain Tameesh didn’t look at the advisor who was being carted away by the security guards.

Once he saw how the battle was going, he had sent a message to Captain Yao of the Atonement. The two of them had worked together and knew the other well.

When seeing the destruction the Emarl fleet was raining down on the Luyten fleet, they’d made their own plans and moved to escape. They’d executed their advisors before they could say anything and then headed for the nearest refinery.

They could form their own company with the two freighters and if they were to get back to Earth and Her Colonies, they could sell the tech to competing companies and conglomerates and have lives of luxury.

The second move was to purge the Luyten fighting forces. They’d sealed off the areas where the trained fighting forces were kept and started to open the air locks and explosively decompress different areas.

This threw people out of the ship and sent them drifting. Anyone left behind was killed by the forces that were loyal to Captain Tameesh.

Though that wasn’t his biggest problem. The biggest problem was the seven ships that were aiming at Crusader and Atonement.

“Faster,” Tameesh said, unable to stop his knee from bouncing as he leaned forward.

The Emarl ships were much faster but the two freighters pushed as fast as they could. The heavier gravities weighed down on everyone.

They wouldn’t get a long pass at the refinery, so they had to make it count before they powered out of the system.

Tameesh’s thoughts were if they were able to hit the refinery then maybe the higher-ups wouldn’t be as angry with them. Also, it gave them an excuse to push to exit the system. He was trying to cover his ass as much as possible.

He wanted some damn payback and if he could destroy this refinery, he’d feel a little better about himself.

His eyes snapped to the other screen as he saw the dogs on his tail. He felt the cold flush of adrenaline as his neck tingled.

“Moby.” His voice was barely a whisper, as if he were talking about the reaper itself.

The room chilled as others started to see it too.

The Moby was coming. Behind it there were six other ships, all of them accelerating at their incredible speeds.

The hunters had become the hunted.

“Increase our speed to the maximum!” Tameesh yelled out as the Crusader’s engines pushed to its limits.

Chapter Eighty-Nine

ENS Moby

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Chen’s eyes were cold as he looked at the Crusader and Atonement fleeing.

“Liang, relay to the other captains. Prepare recovery shuttles for those who surrender to us. Also send out a broadcast to the dutchman people in space, offering to take them in if they surrender. Give them my word as commander of this force. Also Mark’s—it might have more of an impact as they know who Mark is.”

“Understood.” Liang started talking into his headset and sent out the messages.

The ships started opening their launching bay doors and shuttles were prepared to launch.

Chen’s eyes moved to check the rate of repairs as well as ammunition and mergers making it back to their positions.

His fleet was ready.

“Seven hours until intercept,” Carla said.

“Send orders for people to stand down and get some sleep. Make sure that the cafeterias are open with hot food and drink. Messes are to be closed and no alcohol served.” Chen knew that some people would be wanting a drink but he needed to have them focused and ready for the battle ahead.

They couldn’t resolve their losses yet.

“Captain, we have different commanders on the enemy’s side who wish to talk to Mark,” Liang said.

“Forward the request to him,” Chen said. These people had come from the Luyten system, but by the propaganda that they had been told, it seemed that they thought the Emarl system was the last bastion of the Harmony Forces.

If Mark could prove his identity, then it was possible to get these people to surrender and they could rescue some of them.

Chen, as a captain, wouldn’t wish dying while being dutchman on anyone. It might incur more problems. He couldn’t save them all, but he would do what he could.

“The refinery evacuation is underway. Mining ships and freighters are dumping their cargoes and loading people as we speak. They will clear the refinery and the LMFCs with plenty of time,” Carla said.

“Good.” Chen let out a sigh of relief.

***

Mark finished talking to the different commanders of the Luyten forces. He only frowned slightly and inside his helmet. But Ava patted him on the shoulder, sensing his emotions and words even if he hadn’t done anything outwardly.

“It seems that they were duped like the Harmony Chosen were—thought that they were coming here to safeguard their planet and they were instead just coming to wipe out the remainder of the EMF,” Mark said.

Ava didn’t say anything as Mark took a deep breath.

“I was able to remove the blocks on their armor so that they can use their sensors and talk to one another better. They were really separated from one another. Hopefully we can save a few of them.”

“We’ll do our best,” Ava said.

“I feel useless here,” Mark admitted.

“Our time will come. We need to clear the system, secure our base and then we can advance onto whoever is controlling the Maraukians,” Ava said.

Mark nodded, his helmet moving slightly. He had felt useless for too long, just hitching a ride. They’d trained mergers of all kinds; their strength was growing every day and their military strength had reached the stage where they could hold their own now.

Maybe when they had defeated the Maraukians and those who were controlling them, they would be able to advance into the future. Not needing to fight anyone and working to build and grow together.

The groundwork had been laid down with Sam and the Emarl system.

“I just hope that this is the last time I have to fight other humans,” Mark said.

Ava didn’t say anything but Mark knew he had her wordless agreement.

Chapter Ninety

LMFC Crusader

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Captain Tameesh let out a snort as he saw shuttles headed out from the chasing fleet as they moved to the people who’d been ejected from Atonement and Crusader.

The fleet wasn’t slowing down but they worked their hardest to rescue as many people who had surrendered as possible.

Tameesh couldn’t help but curl his lip in disdain. “Do you believe this, Yao?” He used a sound-cancelling device so that no one could hear him and Captain Yao talking to each other.

“Hopefully it slows them down a bit more,” Yao said.

“We only have another hour until we’re in range of the refinery, then another four and we’ll be out of the system,” Tameesh said. “Who knows—they might stop at the refinery to try to help the people there.”

“There’s a lot of ships moving away from the refinery,” Yao said.

“They’re all freighters, though. They’re probably moving the goods out. What’s a few dozen lives to a few million credits?” Tameesh said. In the EHC, life was cheap, but money ruled.

Yao didn’t have any reply, making Tameesh uncomfortable as he started to second-guess himself. He clamped down on his fears and cleared his throat.

“If they aren’t distracted, then they’ll catch up with us in two hours,” Yao said.

Tameesh didn’t say anything. He wanted to refute Yao’s claims, if only to make himself feel safer, but it was a fact. There was no messing around.

His own nerves were on edge and he had hoped that talking to his old friend would make him feel better. Instead, he felt an itch between his shoulder blades.

He looked around unconsciously. There wasn’t anyone there. Instead, he was feeling the chill of knowing the enemy was closing in on him.

Before, it had excited him in the corporate world; here, death and destruction awaited those who failed.

“I have a few reports I need to look over. Make sure that you’re ready to fire on the refinery when we reach it,” Tameesh said.

“Naturally,” Yao said.

They closed the connection.

Tameesh was used to this lonely feeling. It made him feel stronger, as if a lone wolf. He checked the pistol on his hip and glanced around the bridge. Betrayal was normal. He could only guard against the people around him so much.

The time started to wind down as they neared the refinery. Ships were leaving the refinery in droves and different sections seemed to shut down.

“Coming into attack range,” one of the sensor operators said.

“Prepare all missile tubes and rail cannons. Send word to the Atonement. We will fire twenty percent of our remaining ammunition,” Tameesh said.

The people bent to their tasks as the different armored doors opened and the craft readied itself for action.

The trajectories had already been planned out. As they entered range, dull thumps could be heard as the two freighters opened fire. Missiles and cannons let loose. Following pre-calculated trajectories, they arced through the system.

After a few minutes, the armored doors started to close as the freighters continued on their way. It would be another thirty minutes until the leading missiles reached the station, with the other attacks raining down over the following ten minutes.

Tameesh looked to the seven ships following behind. The shuttles had been retrieved and none of the ships showed any indication of turning away to assist the refinery.

Tameesh let out a cough and rolled his shoulders as his back felt tight and sweaty.

Chapter Ninety-One

Refinery Seventy-Seven

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Johnny picked up a glass of water, watching as all his people started to report in. Felicia’s miners were pulling out in time; they were all hopping on shuttles, freighters—anything that could get them out of the facility and away from the asteroids surrounding his refinery.

“Misha, report?” he asked.

“There are fourteen crews still working in the refinery. They’ve two freighters on standby to lift them.”

Johnny stared at the screen. Fourteen crews. That meant 1,500 people were still on the ground. This was too close for comfort. In fact, it wasn’t just too close...

Felicia was the one who asked. “How are you doing?”

“The crews are on time. The issue’s evident—they don’t have enough.”

“What do you mean?” Carly came back at them.

“They can’t get out after they shut the refinery operations down.”

Silence echoed across the net.

“I’ve two crews missing,” Felicia said. “A member of another crew is aiding them, but you’re dealing with a lot more than me, ole man.”

Felicia’s term came with a gentle slap; he knew it, and so did she. “Make the decision, Johnny.”

Johnny stood with purpose and he moved back to Misha’s side. “Put me through to the refinery—all stations, all personnel.”

Johnny watched from a few internal cameras monitoring the inner sections.

“This is Johnny Walker. All crews, put your jobs aside and get to the evac point. Abandon all tasks. I repeat. Abandon ALL tasks and evac.”

Johnny watched as a couple of the crew leads looked up to the monitors. He physically saw one of the older men order, “Abandon all tasks. Evac. Now!”

And then they started to move.

Misha looked up at him, tears brimming in her eyes. Johnny met her gaze as she said, “If they leave it running, it...”

“Losing the refinery is nothing compared to the lives of those people. No matter how much she’s worth to me, to us, they’re worth more.”

He leaned down, clicked a few of her keys. Then, together, they followed the fourteen crews with their escape.

Chapter Ninety-Two

Refinery Seventy-Seven

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Johnny had taken back to pacing the room. When Leon fired off what they had, they all watched in real-time. He stopped and focused in on the screen once more. Johnny didn’t know the names of the ships that were headed his way, or know how many enemy lives were onboard. But if he could swat them out of the black, he would have.

“After this, we’ll build defenses.” He also didn’t know those who were chasing the enemy and trying their best to stop the inevitable. But the three of them in Johnny’s main room saw it all.

Johnny brought up the outside view from one of the refinery’s towers.

“There’s three incoming ships. They have weapons armed,” Misha confirmed.

Memories still flooded his mind. This was his first, his baby. “Status on the evac?”

“One is away. Ten teams are accounted for. Waiting on two.”

“Get them out of there,” he said.

Misha pulled up a screen to see where the remaining two teams were running from, and running they were. It looked as if a couple were carrying one of them. Johnny didn’t know what had happened, but he understood. They weren’t leaving anyone behind.

“Time till the freighter’s clear?”

Johnny looked at Misha. “They need a little more time. What can we give them?”

Leon quickly pulled an image from the refinery. “If they hit and blow the reactors at the same time, the fallout will almost certainly take out the freighters.”

“Spit it out!” Johnny said. “What’s your suggestion?”

“Blow section nineteen first. The reaction is still huge, but it won’t be as dangerous.” Leon pulled another image, a projection of what would happen with this effect.

Stepping in closer to the screen, he saw Misha and Leon stand with him. “Do it.”

Leon plugged in his authorization, but the AI spoke direct to Johnny for confirmation.

“Reactor overload confirmed.”

Johnny swallowed. He’d never thought at all that it would be on his own order that he’d blow part of the refinery up. But if it gave those two teams—those hundred people—time to get out, it was something he’d never question of himself. From inside the refinery, several key components melded together; what was usually kept apart for obvious reasons now flowed into the one chamber.

It was instant, and Johnny winced as pure fire spread through it.

Leon was the one who started to talk to the screen. “Come on!”

Johnny’s chest tightened all the more. They had to make it out of the ships’ line of fire.

“ETA till impact, twenty minutes,” Misha said.

Johnny looked to the view of the missiles headed in. They would hit key parts of the refinery; it was all going to be lost anyway. His thoughts now turned to the rest of the fight and rebuilding once it was over. He’d more than enough faith that the EN would win.

Chapter Ninety-Three

ENS Moby

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Chen watched the trajectories of the two Luyten warships’ payloads.

He didn’t have much hopes for the station. They only just arrived, coming to find a new life and then they can only watch as their homes are destroyed.

“Time till intercept?” Chen asked.

“Forty minutes at current speed,” Francis replied.

“Very well. Travestki, I want all weapons readied and checked. Carla, do you have those updates on the rest of the fleet’s status?”

“Yes, sir. All ships are good to go. We’ve got some minor damage affecting the ENS Titan but they’re operational,” Carla replied.

“All right.” Chen tapped his fingers on his armrest. “Carla, you have command. Francis, send a request to all commanders and captains in the fleet. I want to talk to them in ten minutes in the conference room.” Chen rose from his seat as Francis sent out the message.

“I have command.” Carla moved to take Chen’s seat.

Chen relocated to the conference room.

The others joined in on the conference call not long afterward. Mark joined from his location, with the rest of the Vanguard.

Once everyone was there, Chen cleared his throat. “All right, right now we’ve got two freighters. Both of them are big beasts and they’re a pain to destroy. If we go toe-to-toe with them, we will win, but we’re going to take a ton of damage. My first aim is to take out the freighters’ engines, limit their mobility.

“Then I want to insert the Vanguard into the two ships, clearing them from the inside. They might have more guns and ammunition, but they don’t have that much of a fighting force internally. That is my idea, but Mark, I want to know what you think.” Chen outlined his plan but he was ready for Mark to shoot him down if he needed to.

Mark had a thoughtful look on his face. “I agree. Fighting these two freighters is a bad idea. We don’t have the ammunition stocks they do. They’re broken down into different command regions, so we have to destroy the entire ship to take them out. We will lose a lot of lives and maybe even ships. If the Vanguard can be inserted into the ships, we can take it from the inside. We’ve already seen that while they’re strong on the outside, internally they’re still freighters that we can destroy easily.” Mark’s voice was filled with confidence.

“I will not force you. Otherwise, we have the option to follow behind them and slowly whittle them down bit by bit,” Chen said, though he wasn’t sure how effective that would be. They didn’t have that much ammunition remaining and the Moby had taken massive damage. Its supplies had been turned toward repairs instead of making more ammunition.

“The Vanguard is ready,” Mark said.

“Very well. Then we’ll hit the freighters with everything that we have, open up their engines and have the Vanguard board them.” Chen’s plan was dangerous but with the Vanguard aboard, Chen didn’t think that the remaining forces on the freighters would be able to stop them.

“I’ll get my people ready and loaded,” Mark said.

“I want to create two strike forces. Captain Trello of the ENS Reliant, you will be in command of Battlegroup Two. The Moby will be in command of Battlegroup One. ENS Titan, ENS Chaka will remain with the ENS Moby as Battlegroup One; all other ships will be part of Battlegroup Two. We’ll use the launcher on the Moby to gain access to Target One, while we cross-load merger capable drop-ships to the Reliant. There shouldn’t be many glider pilots and crew left on either of the ships but both forces’ RSDs and seeders will move in support and cover the launchers and drop-ships,” Chen said, starting to outline the plan.

The others listened attentively as they jotted down notes, asking rapid-fire questions with hard faces.

There was no joking or messing around.

Ten minutes later, they had their plan.

***

“Merge!” Mark’s words were simple but with it, four hundred Vanguard mergers all came together. The power of their abilities was impressive. With all of them focused on one goal, it didn’t seem that anything would be able to stand in their way.

Mark didn’t need to explain anything to them as he passed them all of the information that he had received.

They all took it in and assimilated the information. As they were complete, they started to move to the flight deck or launcher area. All of them wore their armor whenever possible.

“Lieutenant Desialias with Bravo Company will be the launcher team while I will be attached to Alpha Company, who will be moving via drop-ship! We need to move as fast as possible as the fleet is slowing down so that we will be able to break down into companies,” Mark said.

Their original forty minutes till intercept was now turning into an hour and fifteen as the fleet’s engines dialed down, decreasing their rate of acceleration.

“Let’s not mess it up,” Mark said.

Mark left the channel as the Vanguard left the all hands channel, breaking down into their companies, then platoons and sections.

Mark moved with a section toward the hangar bay.

“Look after yourself,” Ava said.

“You too,” Mark said.

“Mark, where do you need me?” Evan asked.

“Go with Bravo Company,” Mark said.

“Understood.”

Like that, the Vanguard moved through the ship, getting strapped into the different launcher pods for the launching system that Charles had created. It was made to rapidly deploy the Vanguard as well as any supplies to the surface of a planet, but in this case it would be used to launch them into the freighter.

Mark moved with the Vanguard, moving past different holding areas that had been filled with resources and were now filled with prisoners who had been ejected into space by their own officers.

They watched the massive black armor with interest and trepidation.

The hangar was in a mass of movement as RSDs were cleared away and drop-ships were checked and readied.

Their crews were running checks on them. These crews weren’t human but rather the specialized merger crews that Yu and Young had been training.

Mark saw Bobbie and headed for his drop-ship.

“Good to see you,” Bobbie said. The two of them tapped forearms before Mark jogged onto the ship.

Two sections filed in afterward, locking themselves into the harnesses.

“How are you two doing?” Mark stuck his head into the cockpit as he saw Yu and Young checking the drop-ship’s systems and doing final takeoff prep.

“Ready for another ride.” Yu smiled as Young rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat and merged with the drop-ship.

The weapons on the drop-ships moved around as reactors and anti-matter power systems came online. Drives were ignited as thrusters let out experimental spurts.

Mark dropped into a seat and locked himself in.

“All in! Locking up!” Bobbie said.

Mark used the ship’s sensors. Seeing through the craft, he saw the mergers quickly moving in lines, entering the drop-ships that were then picked up by loaders and placed onto acceleration rails.

The rear ramp hadn’t closed fully as Bobbie made his way to the forward part of the drop-ship. A crane came down, grabbing the drop-ship and putting it on a launcher.

“Baz, you need anything?” Mark asked the lieutenant in charge of Alpha Company.

“All good here, Mark.” Baz was a reliable man. Nothing seemed to faze him and he seemed quiet until he was on the battlefield. There he showed command and control that left not only Mark but the other mergers in awe. It was through this that he had gained the position of lieutenant in the Vanguard.

“Hopefully it won’t be too much of a bumpy ride,” Baz joked.

Rachel, his second-in-command and company warrant officer, came online. “Fat chance of it being a smooth one.”

“Ahh, classic warrant officer grit.” Mark smiled in his helmet.

Rachel grunted, apparently happy with the title.

Mark was pushed against his harness as the drop-ship accelerated out of the Moby.

“All right, form up on me. We’ll be linking up with the RSDs from Battlegroup Two, who will be flying in formation around us, looking to protect our asses before we get to target two.” Yu’s voice was calm and relaxed as drop-ships continued to deploy from the carrier and move into formation around his drop-ship, heading for Battlegroup Two that was separating from Battlegroup One as they locked onto their targets.

Mark got himself comfortable and started looking over plans of entry and other information, unable to fully relax as he led his people into battle.

“Well, it looks like you got what you wanted,” Sarah said, referring to Mark’s conversation with Ava.

Mark didn’t reply to her. On one hand, he was happy that his people would be put to use; on the other, he knew that there would be casualties.

Sarah alerted him to the fact that the weapons fire from the two freighters was closing in on the refinery.

He switched to the system’s sensor feed.

The missiles were the first to arrive.

The station didn’t have any defense systems. It was rocked by the explosions. Parts of the station just disappeared as the strikes landed again and again, tearing the refinery open, revealing its guts and causing secondary explosions.

It took the hits, one after another, as it came apart. In just ten minutes, the expanding cloud of materials that had been the refinery was all that was left.

Chapter Ninety-Four

Freighter 801

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

The freighter was a little cramped, but Pela found a seat and began to strap herself in.

Lucus sat beside her, also tying himself in. “You did a good thing there,” he said.

Pela looked over at her friend’s team. It might have been touch-and-go for them, but they were out; they were safe. One moment of panic and they’d almost fallen apart. All Pela did was be the calm support they needed to get it back on track. They hadn’t technically failed; they were also still within their company guidelines, but she could see the guilt-riddled face of their leader.

“I’d have expected nothing else for us if we’d been behind.”

Lucus’s face told her he wasn’t so sure on that.

“This is your captain. Please make sure you are all strapped in. There will be some turbulence momentarily, but it should settle.”

Pela looked around as everyone scrambled for their belts, or anything just to make sure they were secured in and safe from bouncing around.

The ship lurched, and Lucus grabbed hold of her before she was out of the seat and floating.

This wasn’t just turbulence. Pela searched through all the information coming in. “What?”

Lucus pulled her to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her, holding on dearly. The ship lurched again then bounced from side to side as it fought for stability.

“Pela, what is it?” he asked.

“Seventy-Seven.” She turned to look at him. “It’s been destroyed.”

As the ship’s turbulence settled, Pela realized she was on Lucus’s lap. He didn’t let go, though, even when she tapped his arm. She struggled to face him again, about to ask him to let go, but she saw something in his eyes.

“Did they all get out?”

“Gondi?”

“All personnel are accounted for,” Gondi informed her.

Lucus could have asked the question himself. Why hadn’t he? “Yes,” she said.

“Thank God.” He squeezed her tighter.

Pela flushed, but she didn’t ask him to let go. She leaned in instead. “It’s okay. We’re all okay.”

Chapter Ninety-Five

ENS Moby

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

Ava took a deep breath as Polwell clapped her on the shoulder.

“Good?”

“Yeah. Just being used as a damn human projectile is a bit weird,” Ava said.

“Yeah, you got me on that one.” Polwell nodded.

“See you on the other side,” Ava said. They hit forearms as Ava moved to the deployment pod.

It looked like a missile.

Damned well is a missile—with me underneath the fucking rocket engine.

Ava stepped backward into the pod as a harness locked around her armor. A casing covered her front, bringing her darkness.

Kela linked to the pod, allowing her to see out with her sensors.

The fitted panel was secured as she was picked up and slotted into a rack where there were two sections already loaded.

More of the Vanguard stepped into their pods and were loaded into the holding launchers. The first batch were already locked into the deployment tubes, which were basically large acceleration rails.

“So, I’m thinking we need to come up with a new name for this,” Kumar said over the leadership channel.

“What?” Polwell asked, sounding almost pained to do so.

“Gravity turbos?” Kumar asked.

“That just sounds dumb,” Fu said.

“Hey, your name is literally fuck you,” Kumar said.

“Yeah, he got you there,” Hahn agreed.

“Hahn, let us not forget you’re a second lieutenant here. Watch out or else I’ll leave you out in the cold again,” Fu said.

Waters laughed as Hahn let out a tired groan.

“Nice.” Kumar laughed.

“Crotch rockets?” Second Lieutenant Katch said thoughtfully.

“Wow, sounds like a new disease,” Lundy said.

“What is this—the rebellion of the warrants?” Ava asked.

“Seems to be,” Polwell agreed.

“Ah, come on, who’s side you on?” Kumar complained.

“Kumar…” Polwell’s tone had a hint of warning.

“Yes, Company Warrant Officer!” Kumar said with false attention.

“Yeah, looks like gross insubordination.” Polwell sighed.

“Rocket power?” Lundy asked.

“That’s Kumar on a Friday night,” Fu said.

“Tip of the week, kids: if you have to force it, it’s a shit,” Kumar said in a serious tone.

“Dude, you can control your entire body. How did you not know you were going to shit yourself?” Waters asked.

“I ain’t perfect!” Kumar said.

“Clearly.” Hahn coughed.

“Is this the screw Kumar crew?”

“Kumar, we’ve brought you here for an intervention,” Lundy said in a professional voice.

“This is what I get for allowing you access to my brain!” Kumar complained.

“We should be seeking disability benefits for seeing what’s in your brain,” Katch said.

“Ohh!” Waters cheered.

“Shit, that one’s gotta burn.” Fu laughed.

“Well played, Katch,” Kumar said in approval, before taking on an exaggerated proud tone, complete with fake tears. “I have taught you well. Now go, ride your crotch rocket of doom!”

“We are not calling them crotch rockets,” Ava said.

“Aww, c’mon! What else we gonna get, Missile McMissileface?” Lundy complained.

“Oh God, do you think we’d let the rest of the Vanguard name it? It’s already bad enough hearing your lot’s suggestions,” Polwell said.

“Battlegroup One, this is Captain Chen. We are closing in on Target One. Prepare to present broadsides!”

Chapter Ninety-Six

Senator Rimateus’s Residence

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3557

Rimateus stared at the screens before him.

Senator Kris stood in front of it, shouting obscenities, while Benefactor Yi was trying to appease the others in the room. There was more than confusion and anger echoing around him. Senator Kris and Benefactor Yi were the worst for this, almost instigating more than actually deflating it all.

Rimateus could only see one outcome now, and with his security detail around his residence, reports were starting to come in that had him reeling.

All these things gave him only one option to preserve his life: he had to flee.

His NIAI showed a final image, of the Emperor’s ship as it moved into position over Roma.

Tranquility, he laughed loud as her name came into view. Yet your guns are trained on the city.

Reports and messages pinged him from all over. The space legion had control. All his ship captains had been put down.

It wasn’t possible. But the more he looked through the information, the more it seemed as if he’d been the one who had been played. Key personnel across his trusted teams, ships, and even those in the legion itself had turned.

I underestimated you, Cassius, he thought. Both you and Mark Victor.

Deep inside, his mind whirred, though; he had other options. There was word from his science base that they’d locked it down, and everyone was safe, and well hidden.

Rimateus grinned. He knew where he was going now. No one knew of this facility. Once it was locked down, there was no one getting in or out.

Rimateus knew he had to slip out of the room. Escaping his home was paramount. To continue anything, he had to leave. The view of the carrier over the planet unnerved him. The space legion had taken command of the Hellenic system.

When he saw ships start to drop toward the planet and toward his estate, he made his move. The fact was there would be more coming from the legion. The distraction itself was enough to get him out the back door.

Like the snake that he was, he slithered back and then slipped out. Only partway down the corridor did he hear more shouts and screams. He didn’t know what was going on, nor did he want to—sure that the lives of those in that room and his whole estate would be forfeit.

His escape shuttle was unmanned. He quickly settled inside and shot toward his base. He felt some relief. It would work out. He’d survive, even if no one else here did.

Chapter Ninety-Seven

Legion Headquarters

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3557

Moretti watched as Rimateus’s home was hit. Several of their joint forces stormed the front door and, as one, they hit the main party room. As the blood flowed, Zedra turned to him. “Where is Rimateus?”

“He’ll be upstairs in one of his private suites, probably with his other closest partners.”

While their shuttle made its way across the city and toward their meeting point with Damus at the hidden science base, Moretti watched closer the goings-on inside his number-one enemy’s home.

Several of his men gave him full access to their view on the events. Moretti watched as they swept the rooms, and from one side of the house to the other, all areas and people inside were eliminated. Moretti had once thought there could be innocent workers in here, but watching Zedra and in seeing how thorough she investigated everyone, he realized that no one in that house was good. They were players, all of them, from the maids to the kitchen staff. It sickened him to find out about the deeds these people had done. Watching his men end their lives now seemed satisfying in the most horrific way possible.

Following them up and into the private chambers of the senator, he waited to see the scumbag die. He actually clenched his fists together.

“What’s happening?” Zedra asked.

“Just about to infiltrate Rimateus’s room.”

He waited. When his men burst the door and entered, guns flared. Not one view of Rimateus.

“Hansen. Wait!” he said just as his lead man was about to put a bullet in Senator Kris’s forehead. The man was backed against a wall, sheer terror blazing through him.

“Patch me through—voice,” Moretti ordered and then he spoke. “Where is Senator Rimateus?”

The man shivering before Hansen said nothing. “Put your gun to his head,” Moretti ordered and Hansen complied. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know,” Senator Kris said. “He slipped away a few hours ago. We couldn’t get out of the room.”

Moretti hadn’t noticed that, the sick fuck. He’d left them to die, knowing full well that once the legion had him in their sights that they wouldn’t let go.

“Kill him,” Moretti ordered, quickly pulling up and linking to Damus.

“ETA?” Damus asked.

“Pull back,” Moretti said, aloud so that Zedra could hear too. “Regroup at HQ.”

“What happened?”

“He escaped. I’m sure there’s only one place he’ll head for, but we have to be sure he arrives and doesn’t go elsewhere.”

Moretti slammed his fist against the side of the shuttle, shattering its casing and the glass broke. Blood spurted out, and Zedra raised an eyebrow. It wasn’t red. It was silver.

“Why, Mr. Moretti...” Zedra took hold of his hand and watched as the nanites in his system healed his broken skin. “There something you need to tell me?”

“ETA at HQ, one hour.” Moretti spoke to Damus and turned to Zedra. “Can’t really hide it now, can I?”

“So, you’re one of them?”

Moretti watched as the last of the cuts closed over the light touch of her hand, battle-worn but soft. “I am. Although, not a full merger. I’ve been undergoing the process at a much slower rate. I might have passed all their tests, but it’s not been an easy journey.”

Zedra stared at him. He could almost see her mind working. “Well, maybe you’ll share your thoughts on the process with me.” She smiled and gave him a slight squeeze.

“We have a lot to do still.” M tugged his hand back. “But, I can do that.”

Moretti ordered their shuttle pilot back to HQ and then he continued to fill in Zedra as reports from all over Hellenica and the Union came in.

***

Damus arrived almost at the same time as them at HQ. Once inside, they began coordinating their lead men with better clarity. Moretti moved to a station by himself while Damus talked with Zedra.

“Is he all right?” Damus asked her.

Zedra glanced in his direction and nodded. She wasn’t sure the revelation of him being a merger was for now. She would just let him do his thing, and if it didn’t line up with her plans, she was already thinking of ways that she could take him out. Her gut instinct, which had led her to trust him as much as she had, never let her down before. She doubted it would now, but she would also have all bases covered.

Damus took a call from Cassius, who was high above them, bringing in the legion’s ships. Now all under his control, they had all the backing they needed to bring Roma back to her full glory. This brought Zedra hope that this was working.

“We have all but the base and Rimateus.” Moretti spoke up. “Tracking all movements—I have him.”

Zedra moved to the station he was using and he brought up two sets of images for them. “He’s not going straight for the base. He will snake around, make sure he’s not being followed. But we won’t lose him now.”

Damus leaned closer to get a better view. “How can you be so sure?”

Moretti looked up at him. “Because if we fail at this, we fail everything. I. We.” He looked to Zedra, and then back to him. “You. Never fail.”

Damus nodded and looked back to the other monitors as Moretti clicked a few screens.

“Sertoria’s still waiting on us. Let’s hope that she can hold out. When Rimateus arrives, we hit, and we hit hard. He will not escape this time.”

Moretti watched the screen. “He’s holed up outside the city for now. Let’s pool our men, move the forces and wait for it. We’ll be ready.”

Chapter Ninety-Eight

LMFC Crusader

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

“The assault group behind us is turning to present broadsides!” a sensor operator yelled out.

For nearly eight hours, they had seen the Emarl fleet heading for them.

That entire time, they had been under pressure. They had been constantly accelerating, looking to exit the system. In just under two more hours, they would make it out of the system and they could use their Alcubierre drives to escape.

“Keep going,” Captain Tameesh said.

He didn’t want to turn. That would only slow down their escape and the Emarl ships showed that their acceleration was greater.

“Start firing missiles back at them!” He didn’t have rail cannons that could bear on the ships but he could fill the space between them with missiles, creating a wall of cover for himself.

The Emarl ship’s inertia would allow them to close with the Crusader and the Atonement but only for a few minutes.

More of the fighter’s ships were released into space as the rail cannons started to fire, destroying incoming missiles that were still far out.

Tameesh grit his teeth. The Emarl ships had a longer range, which allowed them to dominate the Luyten ships earlier.

Their missile tubes lit up with exhaust as waves of missiles and rail cannon fire were unleashed.

Defense systems went into overdrive.

The rear of the freighters was covered in close-in defense systems but they weren’t able to handle the volume.

The explosions got closer and closer. Tameesh fumed, wishing that his freighter was just a bit faster or that they had made it out of the system.

The rounds started to hit the rear of the two ships, but the fighters were holding back, massing as if they were waiting for something.

“We just lost engine three!” an engineer reported.

“Two is offline! Power fluctuations coming from one. Power systems are blown out!”

The ship shuddered.

“Direct hit on the engines! We’re leaking atmosphere!”

“Can we still activate the Alcubierre drives?” Tameesh asked.

“Yes,” navigation said after a moment. The ship lurched again as more rounds struck the rear of the ship, taking out their main engines.

“Using thrusters to course correct! Main engines are totally out!” navigation said.

“The fighters are starting to move. The Moby is tilting its belly toward us!” Sensors sounded confused.

“The Atonement engines have been crippled as well, and the rear engine bays are open to space!” another officer reported.

“Those drop-ships that moved from the Moby are moving under the cover of the fighters toward the Atonement.” The sensor officer looked to Captain Tameesh. The two of them shared a slightly bewildered look.

“Missile launch from the belly of the Moby. The ships have stopped firing. I think that they’re out of ammunition!”

“Doesn’t matter. We’ve got massive internal damage, and no defenses remaining!”

Tameesh had a bad feeling as he heard everything together.

Chapter Ninety-Nine

ENS Moby

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

“Weapons are empty,” Travestki reported. “We’ve only got ammunition for the close-in defense weaponry.” The entire barrage would only last for about a minute.

The defensive weapons started to fire as decoys were launched. The Luyten force’s missiles arrived first. They shook the ships and led to minor damage but it wasn’t enough to breach any of the ships.

The hits started landing on the two targets as they rode through the barrage of missiles.

The freighter’s defensive systems were impressive, but all of the battlegroup’s firepower had been focused on their target’s engines.

The destruction moved closer and closer until the engines were being torn apart and the defensive systems wiped out.

“Good hits,” Travestki said.

A missile tore apart the engines as rounds followed in, turning the ship into a scrap heap at the rear, but the ship was massive; it was hard to open it up all the way.

“Battlegroup Two’s drop-ships are away,” Liang said.

Chen looked to the drop-ships. Under the cover of the fighters, they accelerated as hard as possible into the teeth of the Luyten forces.

They might be out of ammunition but their targets had been sitting to the side of the first formation and didn’t use up that much ammunition. They still had seventy to eighty percent left.

“Deploy drop pods,” Chen said.

The ship rotated as large armored doors underneath the Moby were revealed, with launcher tubes underneath.

The fighters started to accelerate. Their cannons fired through the skies as they engaged incoming missiles, creating a screen.

Up and down the Moby, the acceleration racks activated, ripple firing from bow to engines and back again. As the four rows finished, they started firing again.

The pods spread out so it would be harder to cut them down as they shot through space, crossing the nearly knife-fighting range to the freighter.

***

Ava tried to get herself together as her pod was loaded into the launcher.

Dozens of the Vanguard were already out and headed for the enemy. Still, it was hard to get rid of those nerves.

Without warning, she was punched upward as she shot out of the Moby. Her feet felt as if they wanted to jam up into her head. She grit her teeth with the powerful acceleration as the engines on the drop pods kicked in and increased her speed.

“Hell’s hammer,” Polwell managed to get out over the net.

Ava could only agree. She’d trained with these damn things. They sucked but they got the job done.

The pod shook as missiles too close for comfort went off.

She saw as black marks started to appear as people were lost to those explosions. The fighters unloaded their missile racks as the Vanguard started to pass them and they broke away to the sides.

Their missiles provided cover as they rode across to the other freighter.

Ava felt her pod altering its course before there was a powerful rappelling force and her head seemed to be crushed into her body. There were scraping noises as the pod hit different things before finally it slammed into something.

The drop pod’s panel blew off with Ava’s harness. She jumped out of the pod, her M20s deploying.

She swept the area. Seeing nothing but the destroyed rear sections of the ship that were illuminated with the explosions of missiles behind her, she advanced forward.

She linked with the other mergers as more of them made it to the ship, their drop pods slamming into the freighter.

“All leaders, report in with your count,” Ava called out.

Waters, Katch, and Hahn sent her back reports of who had made it. It was updating as more people made it to the ship. People were slotted into new positions to fill the places of those who hadn’t made it.

“Waters, Katch—you’re up front with your platoons; move and clear. Anything that looks important, take it over. I want control of this freighter and fast. Hahn, you’re in the rear as support with Polwell.” Ava’s view filled with green lights as she took out a mono-blade and started to cut her way through the jagged metal that was left in the rear of the Luyten ship.

The second lieutenants took control of their people and started to get organized, spreading out over the different decks to advance forward.

Groups found useful-looking systems and, using their nanites, they were able to start taking control over the ship.

Ava cut through a wall. Seeing red carets moving toward her through another wall, she raised her M20 and fired through a bulkhead. Her rounds didn’t light up silver or make any noise as they punched through the wall with ease.

Ava moved up to the area, finding a group of three armed security personnel who didn’t know how they’d died.

“Information updating,” Kela said.

Plans of the ships started to appear. Ava assimilated the information as sensors were being taken over.

The Vanguard might be ground forces, but against computers and technology, there was no better hackers. The mergers, working together, started to take over different systems.

“Remove us from the sensors and hold positions,” Ava said. “Once we gain control over the ship, then we rule the battlefield.”

The other mergers linked to her understood her reasoning. Ava wondered what the captain of the ship must be thinking as they disappeared from the ship’s sensors and they started to lose control of their ship, system by system.

Ava linked up with a group of nearby mergers who were in defensive positions around a reactor.

Around them, the dead floated.

“Enemy front,” one reported. A few blasts from the M20 tore through walls and cut down the reaction force before they reached the mergers.

“Alpha Company has entered the other Luyten carrier,” Evan informed Ava. He was the link to Mark but here he was a support to Ava. She had more time as a merger and she had been the one to train Evan, after all, so he followed her lead.

“Good.” Ava didn’t have time to focus on Alpha Company as she looked over the information coming in.

“All right, I’m thinking of breaking down to the section level, move through the ship, group together, taking out key positions and move toward the command center. We drain the atmosphere from the ship, turn off the power. Then they’re going to be low on oxygen and power. If they don’t get blown out, then they’ll only have a few hours until their armor runs out of power or they don’t have the air to keep going.” Ava’s tactics were scary, but although the enemy would suffer, it kept her people out of danger. As long as they held control of the ship’s computer systems, they owned the ship.

“We need to take these key positions.” She highlighted server farms, busses, or different systems that kept the ship running. Although they had decent control of the ship right now, they were fighting against firewalls. If they could get in at the source, then they would be able to gain a greater control of the ship that would be hard to interrupt.

The others all understood and agreed to her orders.

“All right, let’s move out,” Ava said to those around her.

They started moving forward. Their mono-blades cut through the ship as they covered one another with their M20s. They didn’t run down corridors but cut a straight path to the different key areas.

Rounds cut down a corridor as they ran into a group of stunned security personnel.

The mergers spread out, flinging themselves out of the line of fire as they brought the other group under fire. No one was wounded but they’d taken a few hits to their armor. New scars formed as they kept on advancing.

Ava had a cold feeling. Their actions proved that they weren’t human anymore. They walked through vacuum without fear and bent metal back by just moving forward. Their reactions were so fast that it defied logic.

They were built to kill Maraukians; humans weren’t their opponents anymore.

It was odd and scary. Scary because if someone got this kind of power and wanted to kill humans, then it would be only too easy.

It chilled her heart thinking about it, but she also knew the kind of testing and training that everyone had been put through looked to remove those kinds of people.

A defensive position appeared around the air reclamation center they were looking to take.

Instead of charging forward, they cut through the floor, going a deck lower and then fired up, killing the unknowing defenders before they opened up the air reclamation center and climbed through the twisted metal.

Chapter One Hundred

LMFC Crusader

Oort Cloud, Emarl System

10/3557

“They just came through the wall!”

“Kill them! Kill them all!” Tameesh yelled. His anger had reached the point that he was going mad.

The Vanguard moved through the ship as if they owned it. They cut through walls and rarely confronted Tameesh’s forces straight on.

The freighter was massive and he couldn’t cover everything. He had laughed when he saw that there were people trying to board his ship.

That arrogance had turned into fear. That black armor was the thing of nightmares.

Suddenly, all communication cut off.

“We’re cut off from the rest of the ship.” The communications officer looked to Tameesh.

Tameesh slammed his hand against his chair again and again in frustration and fear. “Fuck fuck fuck fuck!”

The others in the command center could only look on with pale faces.

The mergers were unstoppable, and invisible to the internal sensors of the ship. Key systems fell one after another as the ship came under their control.

Fear and unwillingness filled their eyes.

Tameesh looked over to the command center door as it opened on its own. His actions paused as the air rushed out of the command center. He was torn from his seat and slammed into a console. Others in the room were pulled away as all of the air locks across the ship opened up and the ship explosively decompressed.

Sections were ripped away by the force and reactors that had been exposed started to melt through the ship.

Captain Tameesh dropped to the deck as silence fell over him.

Thankfully, his space suit had deployed in time.

Others had died from the decompression, dead in their seats or flying through the bridge as the gravity had been turned off.

People shot backward as holes appeared in their suits.

Tameesh’s blood turned cold as he looked at the door. His last sight was seeing the Pluto-armored Vanguard entering his bridge as their M20s fired, killing everyone inside.

***

Ava entered the command center behind the clearing section.

The mergers checked everyone was dead and got to finalizing their control. Ava let out a breath. Once aboard the ship, they’d owned it. The last sections of the ships were clarified as the remaining Luyten forces were revealed.

“Hahn, secure the final remaining forces,” Ava ordered.

“Yes, Lieutenant,” Hahn said.

Ava looked to where Warrant Lundy was stationed, with two sections of mergers watching over some three hundred prisoners.

Her eyes fell on Captain Tameesh. He’d ruthlessly killed anyone he didn’t know, or ejected them into space—nearly two hundred thousand people. The ship had only been running on a skeleton crew.

She had no mercy for them. In her mind, they had all chosen to kill their fellow crew members.

The mergers coordinated perfectly together. They’d separate their enemy with air locks and then appear behind them or shoot through walls to kill them.

It wasn’t a battle; it was a slaughter. Drop-ships brought over troopers to help and secure the prisoners.

The fleet had attached towing cables to the rear of the freighter, reducing its velocity away from the Emarl system.

There was no way anyone could escape anymore.

“Forward sections report the ship is secure,” Katch informed Ava, her voice blunt and cold. None of them felt good about the fight they had just gone through. They felt dirty, but they’d succeeded and the loss of life hadn’t been high.

“Captain Victor, this is Bravo Company. Target One is secure,” Ava reported.

“Understood. Start shifting prisoners to Target One. Target Two is under our control and should be cleared shortly,” Mark said.

“Understood,” Ava said.

Kela pulled up information on the remainder of the Luyten fleet and the Emarl fleet that was hunting them down.

Chapter One hundred and One

The Yard

Ark Orbit, Emarl System

10/3557

Eight days ago, the two escaping freighters were secured and the fleet started to drag them back into the Emarl system.

Nine days ago, the Emarl fleet and Luyten fleet met each other face-to-face.

Tomorrow, the Luyten fleet would get into range of the Yard.

Jerome had already evacuated all but military personnel from the Yard toward the station.

The main Emarl fleet had been attached to their supply ships, reloading as they created a screen force.

When the Luyten fleet came in, the Emarl fleet came in at an angle and was accelerating hard so that when the Luyten fleet changed their course, they didn’t have as much momentum as the Emarl fleet and easily changed their course and started to build up speed for the Yard.

The Emarl fleet had to fight their momentum, and start powering on a new heading, running on the inside of the Luyten fleet.

They were slowly coming closer and closer together but Hall didn’t directly charge at them as they would be in the same problem of needing to course correct and come back at them.

If things went poorly, they wouldn’t be able to assist the Yard, or the Luyten fleet could turn in toward Tricticus, leaving the system open for them to attack and flee.

The Yard was meant to be the anvil, with the fleet being the hammer that pushed them toward the other.

Still, they didn’t know what the Luyten fleet would do once they got closer to the Yard and Ark.

It was starting to reach the last hours now as the Emarl fleet started to close in on the Luyten forces.

Jerome sat down heavily in his conference seat.

Hall, Nerva, and Ortiz were already there.

“Now that we’re all here, let’s get started,” Hall said.

“It looks like the Luyten fleet is going to try and pass by the Yard. Their speed is really high and it will be hard for them to break, unless they get closer to the Ark and use the planet to decrease their speed. My aim is to force them into the Praetor cannons and missile systems. The fleet is closing in on them. We are pressuring them from the side but we will intercept them high and fast, hopefully forcing them down and to the starboard, right into the Yard. I want to crush them here, which means we can’t use the cannons and missiles until they’re in our net, or it looks like they might escape our engagement envelope. RSD forces in the Crucible will launch and try to further pressure the Luyten fleet by meeting them head on.

“The Yard will be using all of its defensive systems available, to make us a harder target to hit and making them want to come in closer to get clear hits on us,” Jerome said.

The plan was clear: they might need to sacrifice the Yard to draw the Luyten fleet into the weapon systems range; then they’d hit them from every direction possible.

“The forces at Tricticus are ready and waiting in case the Luyten fleet heads for the planet,” Ortiz said.

“The second fleet led by Captain Chen is moving directly toward Tricticus at their best speed to support you if needed,” Hall said.

They all looked at one another.

“Seven hours to go,” Nerva said.

They had planned, talked, and gone over every single detail of this plan over the last couple of weeks. Now it was upon them.

“Good luck, everyone,” Hall said.

They stood and cancelled the conference call.

Jerome looked around at the Yard through the screens that were linked to different sensors across the Yard.

It had existed for nearly two hundred years, but now it might be destroyed in just a few hours by people blinded by greed.

“One more time.” Jerome patted his chest where a picture of Esamai and Tyler lay before he grabbed his helmet and left the conference room.

Chapter One Hundred and Two

LMFC Righteous

Inner System, Emarl System

10/3557

Everyone was looking at the Yard with cold eyes.

They had taken severe losses, and they were now down to nearly two-thirds of the strength that they had entered the system with.

The Emarl ships had proved that they were not easily dealt with and that they had a greater overall combat strength than the Luyten ships.

Strong had taken firm command and Karain was stuck in a pit of despair.

Thankfully, they had made some changes to their plan. It was clear that they wouldn’t be able to take the planet Tricticus, but they had all of these trained fighters aboard their ships and they hadn’t put them to use, so Strong came up with a plan: they board the Yard with their people and then leave them behind.

After all, they were a liability. They were trained how to fight, which meant if they took them back to the Luyten system, then, like the EMF who had retired there, they could cause a great number of problems.

They were still a few hours away from hitting the Yard, but the Emarl ships would get in the first attack.

“Fighters are being released from the Luyten ships!” the sensors officer called out.

Karain braced herself while Strong had a solemn look on his face.

There weren’t many of the ships left, but each of them had cannons that could tear their gliders to shreds and then anti-matter missiles that could affect even the massive freighters.

“Release the gliders,” Karain said.

Ships were spat out around the freighters, forming up into groups, ready to engage the fighters and aid in defensive fire against incoming missiles.

“We’ve crossed into the Emarl’s engagement range! They’re holding their fire.” The tension racked up in the command center.

Karain and Strong looked at each other, sharing a thought. They’re coming in closer so that they know more of their hits will land.

The Luyten ship’s range was limited and it meant that they were playing to the Emarl ship’s tune.

Nothing happened as the two behemoths edged closer and closer together.

“Ready to present broadsides and burn,” navigation called.

“Execute.” Karain’s back was covered in sweat as she waited for the oncoming slaughter.

The ships turned their sides toward the Emarl fleet and then moved away from them toward the planet below. Their angle took them away from the Yard more but would allow their guns to all bear on the Emarl ships. They didn’t have quality but they had quantity in boatloads.

“Firing missiles and cannons!” weapons called out as the Luyten ships opened up, firing into the path of the Emarl ships. They were all forced into their chairs by the high gravity maneuver.

“Luyten ships are firing and moving to adjust their course! They’re deploying their full acceleration!” sensors said.

Karain looked straight ahead as adrenaline coursed through her system.

The weapons fire intersected and the two ships started to take hits.

“Hits on the LMFC Bastion.”

Karain was rocked with the attacks as the gliders and fighters intersected.

“Bastion is rotating,” sensors said.

Karain let out a breath between her teeth. The only reason the ship would be rotating was to spread the damage over more of the ship’s remaining armor.

The rounds and missiles savaged the two fleets as they were just about to reach each other.

“Course correction ended. Returning to original course!” navigation said.

Moments later, the two forces met. Karain was thrown against her harness as the two fleets unloaded everything they could on each other.

Space around them was filled with explosions that tore at the void, crippling ships and removing fighters and gliders from existence.

Ships were hit so fast they didn’t have time to react. Terrifying seconds passed that humans couldn’t even comprehend other than shattering fear as they didn’t know whether they would survive or be savaged by the destruction that rained on them.

Then they had crossed each other and the two fleets continued to fire on each other.

Karain looked at the reports.

Four more ships had been destroyed; sections of them were still falling apart. Ships were streaming atmosphere, with sections of their hulls ripped open.

The Luyten fleet was a savaged group of ships, covered in battle scars.

Karain looked around the command center. People were groaning and crying out as they’d been hurled around by the impacts that had landed on the ship.

One person whose harness had failed was screaming as their legs and arm were bent at unnatural angles.

Karain didn’t spare them a second glance.

“Navigation!”

“We’re on course for the Yard,” navigation managed to spit out, their face white as a sheet.

“Prepare all of our landing forces,” Strong said.

“Get as many guns up and ready to fire and prepare to fire all of our remaining missiles,” Karain yelled at guns, adrenaline still rushing through her body.

Chapter One Hundred and Three

The Yard

Ark Orbit, Emarl System

10/3557

“Come on, you dumb bastards. Come in nice and close.” Jerome looked at the command table in the center of the Yard’s command center as if coaxing the ship on screen.

Gliders were moving from the broken ships to those that were still operational in the Luyten fleet.

“Looks like not all of the gliders are going back into the freighters,” Nerva said. He was in charge of the troopers on the station to provide backup for the different defensive systems that dotted the Yard.

“What are you thinking?” Jerome asked.

“I’m thinking that they’re going to try to board us.” Nerva’s mouth rose into a cruel arc.

“Oh, I fucking hope they do.” Jerome pressed a button on the command table. “All hands, this is Commander Jerome. Prepare to put the Yard into defensive posture!”

Across the Yard, different lights started to go off as people moved to the secure rooms that were built for if there was an emergency.

The screens inside had been changed to show tactical displays of the space around the Yard. Consoles appeared, directly connected to defensive systems that were revealed as armored sections moved back.

Nerva laughed. “I knew that you and Mark wouldn’t make anything without at least some firepower.”

“Of course not!” Jerome said as the hulls of ships that were being worked on were removed by tugs. Hydraulics across the Yard started to contract.

The Yard looked as if it were shrinking, section by section.

“Once in its defensive posture, the emergency rooms will be in the middle of the Yard, using the rest of the Yard as armor and covered in defensive systems, it’s one hell of a nut to crack,” Jerome said.

“That’s being kind,” Nerva said as the EMFCs around the Yard started to move. Most of them were in the midst of upgrades and some hadn’t started yet.

They surrounded the Yard, linking their defensive systems together and aiming their weapons at the incoming Luyten forces.

It didn’t seem to deter the Luyten fleet in the slightest.

It took roughly an hour for the Yard to compress and the ships to get into position.

“Luyten ships are firing,” Nerva said.

“Got it.” Jerome hit a channel, linking him to the different EMFCs and the emergency rooms. “Defensive systems linked and on automatic. Pick targets of opportunity.” He closed the channel. “I hope that those new targeting servers are as good as the mergers made them out to be.”

“Don’t let Charles hear you say that,” Nerva advised.

Jerome snorted and shook his head.

The Luytens weren’t messing around. They’d presented their broadsides, firing everything on one side; on the other, they were spitting out all of their gliders, massing them together.

The wave of incoming fire wasn’t impressive; it was terrifying.

The defensive rail guns spun up and started to fire tracers out into the heavens, creating streams of fire that hunted down missiles. Explosive shells fired out; packed with anti-matter, they destroyed incoming rail gun rounds and cleared sections of the sky.

Their defensive fire created spheres that the Luyten weaponry was pushing back.

A rail cannon round slammed into the Yard. Thrusters fired to course correct as a section was turned into metal shards that spiraled away.

More rounds started to land, punching into the Yard. Their velocities turned them into kinetic bombs as they tore and wrecked the Yard.

Jerome looked to another plot as he saw hundreds of signals starting to drop toward Emarl, picking up incredible speed.

The command center shuddered.

“Power station three is offline. Moving to batteries,” Jess said. The entire engineering team had come up to support the Yard. Those who were merging-capable were in the Yard, assisting with the damage control teams.

“Use anti-matter if needed,” Jerome said. They were running anti-matter power stations. Although they were small and heavily armored, they gave them a backup system that was hard to get to and could supply the entire Yard with power.

“Nanites repairs being carried out on the port side,” Nerva said.

Mergers were working to repair the weapon systems there as there was a great big hole in their defenses.

The Yard continued to shake with impacts even as it was destroying seventy percent of the incoming fire. Against so many ships, there was only so much they could do.

Missiles were making it closer and closer, destroying sections of the Yard. Entire sections were being removed.

“Command center forty-nine, get the fuck out of there!” Jerome said, seeing an exposed emergency room.

The people started to evacuate but they weren’t fast enough. Three more rounds landed on the ship, followed by a missile opening up the Yard’s exterior.

“We just lost command centers fifty-eight and sixty-three!”

“Command station seventeen is lost!”

“We’ve got cracking in the structural supports.”

The Yard was literally coming down around them.

“Come on, you mother fuckers! Come in closer!” Jerome yelled at the command table.

“Eighty-three to eighty-seven are lost!”

“We’ve got separation. Structural members E-17 through to G-19 are gone!”

“Pull back the command teams in the port side—we’re losing stability there,” Jerome yelled.

“We’ve got incoming gliders!” Nerva said.

“The RSDs are seven minutes away.”

A section of the command center blew out as it was overloaded with power.

“Explosive blow-out from air storage tank nine!”

Jerome saw the sections of the ship being blasted out into the darkness. The Yard was coming apart. Rounds and missiles struck the massive metal behemoth, but not even it was able to take this kind of abuse.

“Get that sorted out! Everyone, make sure you’re sealed up!” Jerome checked the seal on his helmet.

“Fire command, ready Praetors and missiles!”

“Yes, sir!” Nerva said, shaking with the constant hits. All of them were braced by harnesses or holding on tightly to the command console.

Suddenly it went quiet, eerily so.

“Time till gliders arrive!” Jerome said, knowing what that silence meant.

“They’re three minutes out.”

“RSDs?”

“One minute!”

Jerome accessed his NIAI, checking the positioning of the Luyten ships that were coming in nice and close to the Yard. They were already inside the range of the Praetors and missile launchers, but they were breaking their momentum; that would take them out of the range of the weapons.

“Looks like the Luyten forces have seen the RSDs!”

Jerome’s eyes snapped to Nerva. “Have them focus on the ships! Weapons, Praetors, and missiles systems are cleared hot! Make it count!” Jerome’s eyes locked on the communication staff as well as Jess. “Damage control, I want priority on people and pulling them back into the Yard. I want everyone with medical training out there!”

His gaze caught on the screens as systems lit up around the Ark.

Chapter One Hundred and Four

LMFC Righteous

Ark’s High Orbit, Emarl System

10/3557

Karain’s murderous smile turned into pale-faced shock.

“It’s a trap! Get us out of here!” Strong yelled as hundreds of cannons and missile batteries that had been hiding around the Yard were revealed.

“We have ships coming up from the planet’s surface! It looks like fighters—there’s hundreds of them!”

Karain’s blood chilled. She had gone through shock after shock, thinking that she had the upper hand. Every time, she had been shown the folly of her ways.

The gliders were in disarray as they saw the hell they were wandering into.

They might be brainwashed and lied to, but the people of Emarl had no mercy for them.

Gliders were torn apart as they tried to dodge the attacks and fight back, expending their ammunition to try to stay alive.

“Defensive fire!” Strong said, taking over full command as the ships turned to chaos and started to try to flee in any direction they thought held the best bet of survival.

Their defensive fire wasn’t able to stop the incoming fire, nor were they able to escape, even pressed into their chairs.

Karain watched with haunted eyes as ships were torn apart.

It felt as if she were in a daydream. A daze had fallen over her, as if she weren’t living her own life.

She started to laugh to herself. Wasn’t this all too ridiculous?

The Righteous shuddered to the side as missiles tore off their exterior. Karain slammed her head against her helmet and seat. She felt pain and blood from the impact as her blurry vision fell on the main screen.

The fighters that had accelerated using the planet below were coming out like hell’s own demons. Their cannons opened fire on the gliders. The heavier weapons shifted their fire to the Luyten fleet while the RSDs cut through the gliders, moving through their formations. The lead fighters didn’t get them all, but as successive wings of ships passed one another, the gliders’ formations turned into a graveyard.

The Righteous’s systems started to fail as parts of the ship were destroyed. Rail cannon rounds with anti-matter payloads found a reactor.

Admiral Karain never recovered from her state of disbelief as her ship went up, the debris getting hit again and again.

The Praetor cannons and missile launchers slowly went silent, guarding the Yard and Ark.

The Yard was covered in silver as nanites worked to rebuild sections.

At that moment, the Luyten fleet ceased to exist.

Chapter One Hundred and Five

Merger Laboratory

Roma, Hellenic System

10/3557

Rimateus hid well, and for a few days, he waited while things settled. Wanting to move, and doing so, were two very different things at the moment. He hadn’t visited the base at all. This was Atia’s job and, after messaging her, he realized that his facility had tightened up all their protocols. Atia was good at some things, it seemed. Even if she hadn’t been able to deliver him a merger, now he’d get to see what was truly happening within its walls.

Rimateus knew of only one door inside, but she sent him details so that he could slip in even from his own people’s clear watch.

Now he followed her direction—which, for him, was a first—and while he was doing so, all the time he could only think of one thing: how it would feel when he would rise again with the army he was creating.

That alone spurred him on, and into the depths of a side of the city he’d sooner quickly forget.

Atia met him at the back door, and he was soon in and heading down to the depths of the facility.

“We have an escape route planned,” she said. “The scientists were about to try out their latest formula for the merger process just before the lockdown happened.”

“Oh, that’s good. Are they close?”

“As close as they’ve ever been.” She smiled.

Atia led him toward an open office, where a few people milled about. She pointed to the room. “You can watch from in there.”

Rimateus stepped inside. Only a glass partition separated them from the scientists, and it looked as if a man was about to get into a nanite vat. Of course, he knew how it was supposed to work. How the nanites invaded the mind, re-wrote the pathways the brain relied on, and then rebuilt the body from the organs up.

He’d never seen it, though, and with as much going on outside as there had been, he relished the thought of the past year’s failings to witnessing it finally come through for him today.

The man looked just like a regular guy—well built, fit—he knew what he was doing, and Rimateus respected that.

When the two white coats near the tank motioned for him to do so, the man hopped on in.

Rimateus moved closer to the screen, placing his hand on it. He expected something, anything.

Then came the screams.

Rimateus’s anger mounted with each agonizing sound coming from that tank. When he turned to see Atia and her reddened face, he saw nothing but blind fury.

He forced himself past her and into the chamber. The screaming from the man inside was even more horrifying and loud. Rimateus lurched for one of the doctors. “You’ve had more than time than anyone I’ve ever given to a project and you still can’t deliver!” He wrapped his fingers around the man’s throat, partially crushing his windpipe.

The scientist looked at his friend for help, but he wasn’t moving. Atia had a gun to his head.

Rimateus choked the life from him, reveling in the pain and terror that shone in his eyes as he did so. “You’re all the same. Stupid, stupid people. I put my trust in you and you give me nothing but rubbish.”

When the scientist stopped struggling, Rimateus looked to the other man. “Make sure everything is packed up and ready to leave. We go as soon as it’s done. I’m not staying one more minute on this godforsaken planet. We’ll find somewhere to take this. I’ve contacts I can and will call on.”

It was Atia who raised an eyebrow at this.

Rimateus clutched at straws, his anger and fear crawling to the surface, and he visibly fought to control himself. To the other scientists and worker around, he screamed, “Get this out of here now! We’ll set anything that’s left to self-destruct.”

The man nodded, and Atia lowered her weapon.

Rimateus saw something else move out of the corner of his eye.

Atia frowned. “Checking it out.” Then she was gone, leaving Rimateus and the scientists alone. The man quickly called in some helpers and they started to clean up their dead colleague and to remove the still screaming man from the tank.

As the body was raised from the silver liquid, Rimateus stared at it. There was hardly anything left of the man’s body, but he was still wriggling and squirming.

The scientist answered his question without him even voicing it. “With some, the nanites can convert the brain, but not the body, so essentially the mind stays alive in agony because the job’s not completed. There’s only one way to dispose of them when this happens.”

Rimateus held up his hand. He didn’t need any other information. Instead, he followed Atia out, and then wherever it was that she was leading him.

***

Sertoria had watched the man she knew to be Senator Rimateus come in through some back door. Instantly she slipped away to her room under the real bowels of the base. She was looking for somewhere her signal out to Moretti would work. There’d been some serious interruptions; no matter how much she’d tried, it was hard to get through.

The problem was she was being blocked.

Down in the lowest depths of the base, she finally found a signal and sent a request to Moretti.

“Sertoria?” His voice came across with a strange hint of concern.

“They’re upping the move. The last experiment didn’t work. Strike now.”

***

Sertoria’s voice seemed off, and then the link cut.

“Everyone ready?” Moretti asked.

Damus waited with his men. Once Moretti was able to get into the system, he would open all the doorways and they’d have free access to the base. Hopefully, they would be in time. They had to be. Sertoria had been compromised.

Zedra looked at him, making sure that her people and his were in total sync. “Everyone’s ready.”

Moretti announced through their links, “Execute.” And when the quick-fire response came back, they rushed for the door.

Zedra stayed by his side as he attempted to get into the complex. Nothing he had code-wise, plan-wise was working. They’d blocked everything that she’d been doing in a heartbeat, and that meant it was bad news for her.

Moretti looked to Zedra. “Watch my back.” Concentrating, he allowed his nanites to enter through the main control pad into the complex systems that managed the base. It didn’t take that long before he had another way in.

All the doors opened.

Moretti could hear rapid fire through his NIAI, and he wished he had other mergers with him. They were so valuable and he could see it now more than ever. His link to Mark was faster than any link-up.

Mark’s voice came through the net. “Everything all right?”

As M and Zedra advanced, Moretti spoke with Mark. “Sertoria’s been compromised. We were told Rimateus was evacuating.”

The feeling that came from Mark was more than he needed. But Mark made sure he followed with, “End this, end them. Any of them survive, release Z471.”

“Sir.”

Zedra came across a small pocket of resistance; shots fired in their direction. But it was small. She pushed forward and so did the other men in their teams. Their path down to the real heart of the base grew easier by the minute.

Damus met them partway from the other side of the base. “Only one way down.”

That’s when the base started to rumble. The whole ground area shook.

Moretti frowned. “What the hell?”

He paused at the next set of computer systems. Placing his palm to the glass, his nanites seeped out and once more invaded everywhere. This time, what he saw totally freaked him out. He let out a gasp. “This base—it’s...”

Zedra nodded. “I know. I’ve had a couple of extra reports from Sertoria. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Moretti knew from the outside world around him that the soil and grounds would be crumbling, vibrating loose so that this ship could escape. It wasn’t just a base; it was an underground and very well concealed freighter.

“Do they have weapons?” he asked. But a moment later, his nanites answered for him. They had weapons, and much more advanced tech too.

The lift down was as compromised as it came, shattered and blasted into oblivion. Now they needed to climb. This would take awhile, but Moretti quickly picked up Zedra and Damus. “Don’t ask, just hold on.” And with a step off the side of the doorframe, he dropped. One hand took the strain of them as they did; the fall ripped through skin and muscle, tearing his hand apart. But he didn’t wince. Instead, he concentrated on what he needed to keep the pain at bay.

Bending his knees, he could just about take the force of the drop. Zedra and Damus moaned at the force, though. But they were up and battle ready again in a flash.

“You good?” Moretti could see Zedra had taken a bit too much of the drop.

“Winded is all,” she said.

Moretti did a quick scan. “No, broken rib. I’m sorry.”

Zedra frowned. “I don’t like this ability to look inside someone.”

Moretti pushed forward, weapons now in hand. “Scared I’ll see something I don’t like?”

Zedra slapped him on the back. “No.” Then she said, “You don’t see anything else?”

Moretti puzzled over this, looked back over her health files and the scan he had just performed. “No, there’s nothing else at all. Why do you ask?”

“I was also put in cryo for a reason. And I’m glad you don’t see it. That means that at some point in the past that the emperor managed to find and sort out a cure for what I had.”

Moretti didn’t have a chance to ask anymore. Ahead of them was a room, and when he scanned it, he also saw the familiar health profile of Sertoria. “They’re up ahead.”

Gunfire exploded around them again, and this time Damus took a hit. Ducking in, they started to retaliate, but there was movement from inside the room.

“We’re making a run for it. I’ll burst it through. Be ready for anything.” M said.

Damus and Zedra nodded, so he ran.

The sheer force of nature that accompanied being a merger forced through the door ahead of them with tremendous effort. Moretti stopped with his gun pointed at Senator Rimateus’s face. He almost pulled the trigger, till he heard a female voice beside him. When he turned, there was Sertoria perched over a nanite vat. Another woman stood behind her.

“You stop this or she goes in!”

Moretti wasn’t going to be one to take blackmail; he couldn’t be. So he turned back to Rimateus as Atia pushed Sertoria into the vat. Her screams ripped him apart on the inside just as much as the nanites were forcing skin from her flesh. “Mark,” he spoke aloud, “anything you wish to say to this man?”

Mark Victor’s voice came through his vocal cords as if they were his own.

“For the deaths of the sixty-two mergers, for the strife and the harm you’ve cause not only the legion, or Roma, but to all around the known galaxies, I sentence you to immediate death, executed by one of us.”

Rimateus started at Moretti. “You’re not a merger. You look...”

“What—small, human?” Moretti asked.

When Sertoria’s screams elevated beyond anything he could bear, he pulled the trigger, moving to check that he’d actually killed the asshole. Then gave him one extra shot to the brain stem. There would be no reviving this bastard. Very quickly, he turned to see Zedra take out Atia as well. The woman fell from the side of the vat in a pool of blood. Moretti rushed to it, hoping he could see her inside.

“Mark, what can I do?”

Instantly, Moretti was linked in with Charles. “Moretti, can you reach in—see if your nanites can reprogram theirs with the right coding?”

“What will that be like?” he asked. His thoughts and movements were now so fast that he knew Zedra only saw a blur.

“I don’t know. It could be as painful as your own merge—it could be a thousand times worse.”

Moretti sat with his hands over the vat, but knew this wouldn’t be fast enough. They’d not merge in time.

“NO!” Mark’s voice echoed through the net, but it was already too late. Moretti dropped inside the vat with her.

He could still hear Charles in the back of his mind. His nanites instantly started to fight with those in the vat, their programming determined to make Moretti something he already was, but then again something that he wasn’t—something that Rimateus had wanted.

“Record all this, Charles, I might not make it.” Moretti pulled what was Sertoria’s body to his. There he focused and did his best to help calm her, and to help her process what was going on. She had ideas as to what it was to merge; they’d talked about it in the endless nights they’d gotten drunk, lying on top of the bed, waiting for things to happen. Now Moretti realized he’d liked her and her humor a little more than he thought. Zedra had been right.

“Mr. Moretti,” Sertoria said, “are you admitting you like me?”

Moretti was surprised she could feel or hear anything from him, but then he could see what was going on. Her brain was reforming; the neural pathways were working. Creating, merging. And then he felt her, all of her. The war around them was immense, and. The pain—nothing like it had been for him in his first stages. Then he realized he was also going through the organ and full body transplant at the exact same time as she was.

Her feelings were clear, though, and he didn’t fight it. The pain was evil and he felt consciousness ripping at his mind. “If we survive, I’m taking you to dinner.”

***

Zedra faced Damus, but he shook his head. “I have no idea.”

“Then we continue to cleanse this base.” She moved out of the room, making sure the door was secured at least behind her. The fate of Mr. Moretti and her optio was in the hands of others now.

“Any reports from Cassius?” she asked as they made their way into the back of the other rooms.

A woman in a white suit cowered behind a table. “Please, don’t!” But Zedra aimed true and fired. The woman fell to the floor and a couple of others started to scramble. Within minutes, the floor was covered with bodies.

“Zedra.” Damus nodded up ahead.

She moved to open the door. Pushed. Nothing. Damus helped her. When it opened, the stench inside made her gag. Moaning, screams, and more filtered through.

When she pushed again so that they could enter properly, Damus placed a hand on her shoulder. “Maybe I should go this one alone.”

“No,” she simply said. “I know what this base entailed. The monsters in here need to be put to sleep, forever. Rimateus is dead. There will be no one for them.”

Damus, however, stepped through first.

The room was more than she’d thought it could be. The part people in here, she’d no idea how they survived physically or mentally. Well, mentally wasn’t really an issue; when looking down into the eyes of a man half eaten, she could see he wasn’t there. “I thought they took all the dead bodies out, destroyed them?”

Damus drew his sword and quickly tried to kill one of them. The creature looked at him, almost grinning. But it didn’t die.

“What the fuck?”

Zedra put a couple of bullets into two by her right. There was nothing they could do; because they had no limbs, they couldn’t move, feed themselves. “Monsters.”

When she met Damus’s eyes, she saw his concern. “We can’t kill them?”

“That’s why they’re all shoved in here, like this.”

“Get a message to Cassius,” Zedra said. “Or you need to speak with Mark, tell him what we’ve seen.”

“I’m a little busy,” came the voice through Damus. “Wait for Moretti. He has your answer,” was all that came.

Damus shrugged. “The only solution is to wait on someone who entered the exact same hell as these things.”

Zedra stepped backward. “Then we must wait. No matter the transformation he goes through, he is the only one here who can finish this.”

***

Moretti’s conscious mind started to come around. He felt a body next to him and yet it was different. “Sertoria?”

Nothing.

He pushed himself up and out of the vat. Damus and Zedra waited for him. He dropped to the floor in front of them without a thought. Zedra had her sword out and at his throat. But, he saw it all in super slow motion. He didn’t react; he just noted how much “smaller” she was.

Damus coughed. “Some clothes, please. You’re giving me a complex.”

Moretti glanced down. There was a lot of difference to him. Quickly clothes formed around him and he spoke. “What’s with the death threat?”

“Mark wasn’t sure what you might come out of the vat like. We’re following orders.”

Moretti looked inside. He didn’t feel any different. In fact, physically, he felt better than ever. There was something niggling at him still. He turned to face the vat, placed a hand on it. “She’s still in there, but she’s not woken.”

“It’s the others we need you to deal with. Mark said you knew what to do now. We don’t. We can’t kill them.”

Moretti saw the distaste cross her face. The way her brow creased and her voice altered just slightly. She was much easier to read now. He liked this, this upgrade.

Charles’s voice was next in his mind. “I’m scanning over you now.”

Moretti didn’t like this and with but a thought he stopped it.

“Hey,” Charles said.

“I’ve got a job to do, Charles. You don’t want to be witness to this. I’m cutting you off. I’m all here.”

Moretti cut the link and turned to Zedra. “Watch the vat. I’ll start the process in that room.”

Damus looked at him. “Need—”

“No, you’re better not seeing this either.”

Damus frowned. “For Roma.”

Moretti left them with Sertoria and made his way through the base. He knew where they were. He could feel them—more than feel them, he could hear them too. Not only the screams; there were conscious thoughts. They were still people.

“Rimateus, you deserved to be tortured, hung, drawn, quartered forever for this. If I could kill you again, I would. Again, and again.”

Mark’s voice managed to get through to him. “Let me see them.”

When Moretti entered the room, Mark’s anger matched his.

“There is no peace for them. Finish it.” And he was gone.

Moretti knew Mark was still more than tied up in the Emarl system.

Moretti looked down at the half woman before him, her skin silvery, red, raw pustules of rotten flesh.

Her eyes met his, and she reached out to touch him. “Kill me,” she said. “Please.”

Moretti’s nanites flowed from him and into her, this time containing something different. Something that would devour everything here. He moved from bed to bed, and within moments the voices stopped.

He walked from the room knowing what was going to happen to everything in here: the nanites would consume everything; nothing would be left. It might take them a little bit of time, but as they consumed it, they would grow in numbers, consuming faster, then they would die.

Walking back to the room where Zedra and Damus waited, his thoughts turned to Sertoria. Inside the vat, he’d felt a lot of things. He also knew that if she was a monster, she’d asked to be destroyed too.

His only option was that. She wouldn’t wake fully. Rimateus and his scientists were hacks. Nothing more than frauds, they could never have made mergers no matter what they thought.

“We must leave,” he said. “Let the nanites I’ve released do their work.”

Zedra looked to the tank and sadness crossed her face.

Moretti felt it, but he pushed his thoughts away, and gave them all the distraction they needed. “Now it’s time for the real war.”

Zedra cocked to her head to the side with a confused expression.

“What do you mean, real war?” Damus asked.

Moretti made for the door. “Under the rubble of the Maraukians, we found a signal, that we now know gives the Maraukians their orders. It’s about time we saw who was pulling their strings.”

Zedra nodded, her sadness fading, and for the first time, Moretti saw more than just the cold, detached look in her eyes. He saw a fire there, an anger that burned deep within her. One that asked for revenge and payment for those lost.

Thank you for reading! If you like the book, please rate and review! It really does help get the word out there and allow other readers to find this book!

From the Authors

Michael Chatfield

You can check out my other books, what I’m working on, and upcoming releases through the following means:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00WCAOQME

Website: http://michaelchatfield.com/

Twitter: @chatfieldsbooks

Facebook: Michael Chatfield

Goodreads: Goodreads.com/michaelchatfield

Thanks again for reading! 

Dawn Chapman

Dawn Chapman has been creating sci-fi and fantasy stories for thirty years. Until 2005 when her life and attention turned to scripts, and she started work on The Secret King, a 13-episode Sci-Fi TV series, with a great passion for this medium.

In 2015, Dawn returned to her first love of prose where she revelled in the world of The Secret King, Letháo and First Contact, as an epic prose space journey over three generations.

This year her experience of working with others expanded. From Drama, Sci-Fi, Action, to LitRPG/Gamelit. Dawn’s built a portfolio of writing, consulting and publishing.

Website - https://dawnchapmanauthor.com/

You can follow Dawn on any of her public pages.

Author Facebook —

https://www.facebook.com/kanundra

Twitter Link —

https://twitter.com/kanundra

Amazon —

https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Chapman/e/B014A0RUBC

Many Thanks

Table of Contents

Enemies All Sides
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-One
Chapter Sixty-Two
Chapter Sixty-Three
Chapter Sixty-Four
Chapter Sixty-Five
Chapter Sixty-Six
Chapter Sixty-Seven
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Chapter Seventy
Chapter Seventy-One
Chapter Seventy-Two
Chapter Seventy-Three
Chapter Seventy-Four
Chapter Seventy-Five
Chapter Seventy-Six
Chapter Seventy-Seven
Chapter Seventy-Eight
Chapter Seventy-Nine
Chapter Eighty
Chapter Eighty-One
Chapter Eighty-Two
Chapter Eighty-Three
Chapter Eighty-Four
Chapter Eighty-Five
Chapter Eighty-Six
Chapter Eighty-Seven
Chapter Eighty-Eight
Chapter Eighty-Nine
Chapter Ninety
Chapter Ninety-One
Chapter Ninety-Two
Chapter Ninety-Three
Chapter Ninety-Four
Chapter Ninety-Five
Chapter Ninety-Six
Chapter Ninety-Seven
Chapter Ninety-Eight
Chapter Ninety-Nine
Chapter One Hundred
Chapter One hundred and One
Chapter One Hundred and Two
Chapter One Hundred and Three
Chapter One Hundred and Four
Chapter One Hundred and Five
From the Authors