Tag: children of heaven

A single star system swelled to prominence on the holographic view and there was a ripple in the assembled officers as they recognized it. “Unicorn Set. This is the second hardest target the Lefu have, ladies and gentlemen.” Hunt’s voice was granite, radiating nothing but pure conviction. “And we’re going to take it out.”

As the commodore moved to take her leave, Arykka did acquiesce a little, though she did not look up. “I was there the day the gods fell,” she said into the silence. It was a single sentence, one that meant so many things for the Evea’shi. This time, there was no doubt what it meant. When we come, you will fall.

It was the last. It had been one of the first, and now it was the last. It was speeding through the cosmos, scarred repair systems attempting to regenerate its sole vital system. It was not intelligent enough to reflect on what had led it to this point, nor introspective enough to consider the weight of the data it carried. It if had been either of those things, it just may have gone mad with grief.

“Fine. If it will make you happy, I’ll reassign the 181st to system defence duty and restrict her access to classified material, but I will not bust her down for groundless fears. As soon as there’s some solid evidence that she’s been co-opted, I will act. Not before.” “That is, of course, your right,” Hunt replied frostily. “I simply hope that you don’t come to regret that decision.”

Natalya took a deep breath. “The first race that the Evea’shi met kidnapped and enslaved them. The second killed the first and would have killed them. The third species they met deceived and attacked them and then were killed themselves. In this formative period of their cultural, every species they encountered has done nothing but use or try to kill them. And so, every species that they’ve met since, they consider to be their Enemy, to be a threat to them – if not now, then in the future – because they’ve never known anything else.”

Arykka pressed her good hand against the window, evaluating Natalya warily as the other woman approached her prison. After a moment, the redhead laid her palm over the Evea’shi’s, resting her forehead against the transparent metal. It felt cool on her skin. “What,” she began, taking a moment to keep the anger out of her voice. “Did you do to me?”

LeFay frowned. “They’re holding back.” “I know; that’s what got us worried. It should be a good sign, that despite their technological superiority, they’re sensitive to losses and aren’t committing the bulk of their fleet, but they’ve been stepping up the intensity of their probing attacks for the past two weeks.”

“How’s she doing?” The nurse in attendance looked up as LeFay entered the room. It took her a moment to recognize him; half his face was wrapped in bandages, as was his right arm. “She’s doing fine, sir. What… happened?” Donald grimaced painfully. “Ambush,” he replied tersely, stepping past the younger woman to Natalya’s bedside. She was breathing on her own; that was something. “She’s not in any pain?” he asked, changing the subject. “Not that we can tell, sir.”

The unaerodynamic craft banked, dipping one ungainly ‘wing’ towards the welcome party as it circled the plateau and Vul-reni’s valve pulsed in her chest. She did not know how much firepower the invader’s ship possessed, but even a jet fighter could handily wipe her and her team out before they could properly greet any attackers. Had they discovered the sniper teams that lay buried in the sand? It appeared they had not, as the craft finished its orbit and hovered in mid-air before the Speechmistress and her team, flat-footed landing gear extending from several spots on its lower facing as it slowly lost altitude, gently setting itself on the Balaka Plateau’s soil.