Freedom by Fire Read online

“Several missions? Lamond knew you were working with pirates?” his mother asked in shock.

  Morgan spun around in his chair to look at Rania with raised eyebrows, “They were his idea.”

  Rania crossed her arms and looked down at her shoe. Blayne made a mental note to ask his mother about her harsh feelings toward pirates when things calmed down.

  The bellowing of alarm klaxons interrupted their conversation. The vid-screen above the fireplace flared to life to show three shuttles appearing on the horizon and coming in fast.

  “Shit! They found us! Already?” snapped Morgan.

  Cadee gripped her mother’s arm tightly and asked, “What do we do now?”

  “Don’t worry, this stronghold can hold them off for a little while,” shouted Morgan over the alarms before he turned them off and powered up a defense console. “I don’t know how they found us, but a few missiles ought to make them think twice!”

  “Let’s not worry right now about how they found us, but rather on how to keep them outside,” suggested Blayne.

  “Oh, that won’t be a problem. This place has a few other surprises,” grinned the Head Knight.

  Blayne could hear and feel the thump of the launchers as they fired their missiles. Holding their breath, they watched the vid-screen as four surface-to-air missiles flew through the sky to bear down on the approaching shuttles. Bright beams of red lasers shot out of the tops of the enemy shuttles, targeting the streaking missiles. One beam blasted the lead missile, resulting in a large fiery cloud that filled the sky. But the other three missiles tore through the billowing smoke and flame to zero in on their targets. Within seconds one shuttle came tumbling down out of the sky.

  “Damn, only got one. And they’re too close for another shot,” complained Morgan.

  Blayne went to the door and paused. Looking down at the ceremonial dirk that he unconsciously put back on in the shuttle he asked, “Where’s the weapon locker?”

  “South corridor between the two pillars, the light globe is a palm scanner, you’re in it,” Morgan replied as he activated the house security systems. The thud of metal panels slamming down over doors and windows echoed throughout the fort.

  Blayne was back in under a minute loaded down with blaster rifles and a duffel bag of pistols. He dumped the weapons into a pile on the table. While the Knights sorted the weapons, he checked the charge on a hand blaster before strapping the holster around his leg. Tightening the scabbard straps of his dagger on his other leg, he touched the knife's handle, worn to the imprint of his hand after all the years of training and fight practice against Morgan and the other knights. As a kid, he had complained about being forced to take part in violent exercises he didn’t care for. But he understood the value now. He took a deep breath to center himself as Morgan had taught him. He wasn’t just protecting himself, now he had to protect his sister and mother. And what about his father, he wondered? Was the King still alive?

  “Can we notify the Palace? Could they send help?” asked Cadee.

  Morgan shook his head, “The bastards outside have jammed all communications. We are on our own.” He crossed the room to pat Cadee on the shoulder in reassurance, “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of this. I’ve been doing this job too long to lose to some half-trained Aratan soldier.” Over her head, he used his eyes to order the two Knights to guard the doors.

  Rania slung a blaster rifle over one shoulder and used the other arm to hug Cadee, “It will be alright dear. This is Morgan’s job, he has always protected us. And Blayne and Gunn will too.”

  Blayne held out a small needle blaster to Cadee, “Remember how to use this? It is just like at the firing range, point and shoot until the target falls down. OK?”

  Cadee nodded her head slowly and reluctantly grabbed the little blaster. Blayne felt anger rising in his chest. It was one thing to incite violence for political upheaval or a power grab; it was another to force innocent people like his sister into committing acts of violence. After the events of today, her innocence was one of the few gentle and pure things left in his life and it tore him up to think she may have to kill. He exchanged determined looks with Gunn, a silent agreement passed between them to protect his mother and sister.

  Chapter 8

  King Lamond stood, grounded and focused with his hands behind his back, and studied the screens before him in the command room. The screens still cycled through views from all over the planet showing the destruction left in the wake of the Aratan forces. For generations, the Maxwells had ruled this sovereign planet Kingdom, and he couldn’t believe it would be during his rule that they lost it. He gripped the handle of the dirk on his waist tight enough to turn his knuckles white. So be it. If Kessen wanted his planet fine, but he damn sure will make him fight for it!

  Lamond spun away from the vid-screens to survey the command room, and the squad of Knights with him. Very few people were allowed to know about the bunker, outside of him and his Council. It was his hope they could stay hidden long enough to rally sufficient support to take back the Palace, and then the planet. Lamond barked over his shoulder at the Communication Officer, “Have we received confirmation on the Knights recall?”

  “Only sixty percent have been confirmed, Sire. We are still tracking down the rest.”

  With no army of his own, Lamond recalled what was left of the Royal Knights and bring them back to the Palace for a united offense. If he could regain the Palace, the symbolism of resistance could spur the Dunadd population to fight back with them. Farmers or not, you only needed two hands to shoot a blaster rifle. The weapon did the rest.

  The Knights surrounding him in this room were the best of the best, hand-picked by Morgan to guard the King of Dunadd. But he knew it wouldn’t be enough. Watching the vid-screens of the destruction across the face of his planet was almost more than he could bear, the feeling of failing his people almost overwhelmed him.

  “Sire, Aratan forces are in the Palace catacombs,” a Knight reported, pointing to a screen that showed armored men spread out through the ancient basement underneath the Palace. “They may be searching for the entrance to the command room.”

  Nodding his agreement with the assessment, he ordered, “Prepare a welcoming party. If they discover the way down here, we will still have the element of surprise.” Walking over to the Communication Officer he bent over to whisper, “Send an encrypted report to Morgan. Inform him of the forces on loan from Queen Eloine and where to find them.”

  “But Your Highness, all coms are still being scrambled,” the confused officer replied.

  “Not the old-fashioned landlines. Search the system for Port 2TH8F90 and send the message through that, he will get it.”

  “As you ordered, Your Majesty.”

  “King Lamond!” a Knight shouted and pointed to the screens, “They found the entrance to the lift! They will be here in minutes!”

  Gripping the Comm officer’s shoulder tighter, Lamond commanded, “Trigger the planetary evacuation sirens. Maybe some Knights can get off this planet. Do it now!”

  Turning to survey the room of Knights, “Everyone line up!” Lamond bellowed, yanking his pistol out of its holster with one hand, his other brandishing his dirk. “Remember your training!”

  The Knights fell into formatin, two tiers of fighting prowess lined up to face the elevator doors. Lamond joined them on the back row. He didn’t know how long eight Knights could hold out, but they were about to find out!

  Everyone focused on the elevator doors, their breathing the only sound in the silent room. Blaster rifles whined as their charges built up, preparing to fire. The lift made an almost comical ding when it arrived. The double doors cracked open a few inches and small black disks flew out to skitter across the stone floor before the doors slammed shut.

  “Grenades!” a Knight yelled. The Knights on either side of King Lamond grabbed him and pushed him to the floor, covering him with their armored bodies. Even under the blanket of flesh, Lamond felt the hard thump of the grenade's exp
losion in his ears and the flash of excruciating light through closed eyelids. The two Knights rolled off of him, rubbing their eyes and ears. The King looked around, wondering how they were still alive. Looking toward the elevator doors, he found the gruesome answer. The forward line of Knights had thrown themselves on top of the grenades, sacrificing themselves to save the rest of them. The bloody remains of the Knights threatened to turn his stomach, but he forced himself to swallow and stand up. Kartack soldiers filed out of the lift and lined the walls of the smoke-filled room, surrounding them. A figure strode through the smoke and into the center of the room, his shoulder cape flapping like the wings of a scavenger bird. “Lay down your weapons!” the figure commanded.

  The four remaining Knights stood their ground, encircling the King with their weapons held high. King Lamond looked around at his failure, and decided enough blood had been lost already. The planet was out of his hands now; it would be up to his wife and children to get it back. “Lay them down, men. It’s over.” Stepping through the protective circle of Knights he announced, the sadness cracking his voice, “I am King Lamond, I request you cease all hostilities against my planet. I surrender.”

  “Oh, I know you do. It’s not like you have much of a choice isn’t it?” the figure in the smoky room snidely remarked. The speaker stepped through the cloud and into view; Tavio.

  “Cute little command room you have hidden down here, we almost didn’t find it. Your sister tried to conceal the knowledge from us, but luckily she isn’t as smart as she thinks she is.” He gestured at two of his soldiers and pointed down the hall that led off from the command room, “Clear those rooms.”

  “Well, I never! That was a rude thing to say Tavio! After all the things I’ve done for you!” Wynda’s voice rang out from behind Lamond.

  Lamond gritted his teeth at the sound of his traitorous sister, “I have a few things I would like to say to my sister, privately.”

  Tavio busted out laughing, “Oh, I bet you do! But she’s the least of your worries at the moment. For now, I need you to come with me. The Director would like to talk to you.” His eyes glanced down to the tightening of Lamond's grip on his dagger and blaster, “But don't be mistaken, I will kill you where you stand if you resist. It doesn’t matter to me.” He stepped aside and gestured toward the lift with a raised eyebrow.

  Lamond didn't have much choice as two Aratan soldiers secured his arms, removed his weapons, and dragged him into the elevator along with Tavio.

  As the doors closed he asked, “What about my men?” but loud laser blasts from the other side of the doors answered his question. Lamond rode the rest of the way up to the Palace clenching his teeth, his eyes full of anger.

  They marched him through his own Palace, under guard and in front of all the serfs and servants that had served him and his family for years. The sadness in their eyes followed him down the hall, yet no one dared to move against the invaders. The Kartack soldiers shoved him through the doors into his own Kings Chamber. Kessen lounged on the throne, his face consumed by an unholy grin. The room was crowded with Palace personnel, all crammed into the room to witness the surrender of their former King.

  “Lamond! So kind of you to join us!” laughed Kessen. He beckoned him to come closer. “You almost had us there, my friend!” The madman stood up and walked down the stairs of the throne to loom over King Lamond. “But now that we have you in custody, maybe we can put an end to all of this and move on.”

  Lamond growled and jerked on his restraints, “There will be no end to this Kessen! You cannot keep this planet! The other kingdoms won’t let you!”

  “Oh, but they will,” Kessen purred. “I haven’t spent years embedding my troops all over the TriadVerse for nothing. Hell, even King Tyrell now relies on my men for some of his military force. Your little planet is just a tiny step in a large and grand scheme.” The surprised gasp that rippled through the room echoed Lamond’s astonishment. Kessen wasn’t just a tyrannical lunatic, he was building up a base to take over the TriadVerse!

  “There is no way you will get away with it! If I don’t stop you, someone will!”

  Kessen rolled his eyes in boredom, “Really? That’s all you got?” He glanced at Tavio, then turned to climb the stairs back to the throne. Calmly sitting down, he added, “There will be no stopping me, Lamond.” And with that, from behind the former King, in front of the room of his former servants, Tavio slipped the King’s own dirk from its sheath and plunged the knife deep into Lamond’s back. With one final shove to sink it to the hilt, the Head Henchman slowly pulled the blade out and let Lamond crumple to the floor lifeless. Oblivious to the screams and gasps that rang out through the room, he crouched down and used the dead King's jacket to wipe the blood off the blade, before slipping it inside his own armored chest piece.

  “Find what’s left of the Council of this planet and bring them to me,” Kessen commanded, staring calmly at his former friend on the floor.

  Chapter 9

  Morgan wheeled his chair back from the command panel and rubbed his face, “I got a message to our friend in the Flyer Federation.” He rubbed his face in frustration, “We have to meet him in orbit on the Federation freighter, the Aratan have blocked all inward bound flights. But as long as those shuttles are out there, we can’t take off. They will blow us out of the sky before we make a thousand meters.”

  Rania, with her arm wrapped around Cadee, interrupted, “And what about my husband? Are we really going to leave him here?”

  Morgan’s face fell, “Yes. As I said, it is on his command that we leave him, Your Majesty. My top priority is you and your kids' safety.”

  Blayne tossed another blaster rifle to Gunn, who promptly checked its power pack, the whine echoing through the room. “We can clear the way.”

  “No,” ordered Rania. She pointed to the two Knights at the door, “We will.”

  “That will be a strong no,” stated Morgan flatly.

  Rania stood her ground against Morgan’s stubbornness, “We can lead them off long enough for you to escape with my children.”

  Morgan crossed his arms on his chest defiantly, “There is no way in hell I am leaving you behind.”

  The Queen raised an eyebrow at her Master of Knights, “I don’t seem to recall giving you that option, Knight.” The authority in her voice squelched any more defiance the Knight might have considered raising.

  Cadee grabbed her mother’s arm, “I’m not leaving you.” With a maternal gentleness Rania pried her daughter's fingers off her, then wrapped a loving arm around her. “Your father is still here, leading the fight against Aratan. As Queen, I cannot leave, regardless of the King’s ‘orders’. I promise, I don’t want to leave you. But my, and your responsibility, lie to the people first. As Royals.”

  Cadee frowned up at her mother, “It doesn’t mean I have to like it,” she sulked.

  Rania gestured for Blayne to take his sister as she turned back to Morgan who was busy checking the security feeds. “How many are out there?”

  “Just one squad, but they have set up a heavy turret,” he said tapping the screen.

  “I’m assuming you have another form of transport here, other than the shuttle we used?”

  “Of course, I need something to travel out to the fishing spots, don’t I? There is a hovercar in the garage.” He frowned, “But it is not armored, it’s a normal car.”

  “It will be enough,” the queen said, picking up a blaster rifle off of the pile on the table. “They don’t know how many people are in here. So, with luck, they will think we are all trying to escape in the hovercar.”

  Blayne stepped beside his mother, “I have to agree with Cadee and Morgan on this, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  “Oh, it’s not, I agree,” said his mother. “But that turret they set up outside will not let any shuttle take off from here,” she sighed. Looking up at Morgan with steely eyes, she ordered. “Give us three minutes to get them away from the stronghold, then take off. Ge
t my kids off this planet!” she ordered.

  Morgan gestured to Blayne, Cadee, and Gunn, “All of you, go upstairs and get strapped in. This will be a bumpy ride. And that’s if they don’t shoot us down.”

  The three young adults hesitated. Rania stepped up to Blayne and put a hand gently on his cheek, “I love you both, so much,” she whispered. “You must promise me, you will take care of your sister.”

  Blayne nodded to his mother before he gave her a hug, not trusting himself to speak.

  After hugging Cadee, Rania pointed up the stairs and barked “Go!”

  She watched them disappear up the stairwell before she turned to Morgan, “Eric, please listen,” she whispered. “I need you to do something for me.”

  Morgan bowed his head toward his Queen, “Of course, I am yours to command.”

  She took a deep breath, “There is something I must tell you about Blayne, it’s important that someone else knows. Especially if this… plan doesn’t work.”

  “What is it, Your Grace?”

  “There is something I have hidden all these years about my son. From him, from the King, and from you,” she whispered, her voice heavy with guilt.

  Morgan carefully moved a lock of hair that had fallen over her face, “That Lamond is not Blayne’s father? It’s OK, I already know. I’ve always known. And I’ve protected him anyway, and I always will.”

  Relief washed across Rania's face, “Eric, please don’t tell him or Cadee. He must continue to believe that he is the rightful Prince, to retake the Kingdom from Kessen.”

  Morgan bowed deep, “I promise.”

  With a small nod of her head, she turned and led the two Knights downstairs to the garage.

  Inside the shuttle, Blayne glued himself to the security camera feeds from the stronghold. The front camera showed the garage door and with a whine of high-powered engines, a hovercar blasted through the door, sending wood and splinters flying everywhere. The car turned up on its side as it made a sharp turn to blast out over the lake. Taking the Aratan soldiers by surprise, the hovercar got a lead of a few hundred meters before the enemy could load into their shuttle and race off after them.