Phoenix rising broken vo.., p.12
Phoenix Rising Broken Vow, page 12
They sat in silence for moments that felt like hours. Nobody wanted to move, nobody wanted it to be real.
Joniel looked down at his daughter, his mind a mess of confusion and questioning what he had just done. He knew deep down he’d done the right thing. The thought of her a carapace creature with no control over her own mind was beyond any horror he could contemplate. She was free of that now, the crystals were still multiplying but the progression had slowed. He watched as most of her face became covered in the hard shell and it started to spread down her neck.
He looked over at Kel, he too was becoming encased. The chemical reaction was still happening despite both of them being dead.
Rennon ran a scanner over them. “I think we had better do something to restrain them. They are both dead but the reaction is still happening. As the final result is a husk it is possible that the end product carapace warrior may be created anyway. You have saved them the conversion but you haven’t saved us the threat yet. We could put them in the airlock.”
Kyla looked at Rennon in horror. “I would not deny my child a decent burial. Is there anything we can do to restrain the creature and kill it? Wrong word I suppose as they are already dead. This is even more worrying that the fluid may turn those who are dead into these things. Can we stop them?”
Joniel stood up and watched the progress of the deposits. “I don’t know but we could try taking their heads off. It would sever the nervous system.”
Rennon looked down at the prone bodies. “Well it can’t hurt but as the calcifying kills off nerves it may not do any good. We can try.”
Kyla took her sword and with two deft strokes she removed the heads from the corpses. No blood flowed, just a white liquid which formed a solid lump when it came into contact with the air. It was like a lava flow, flowing out onto the floor as blood would have done, solidifying as candle wax does when flowing out of a candle and cooling on a table. It flowed until it flowed no more. The bodies stayed prone, they did not move.
Joniel pulled both of the bodies so that their hands were behind their backs and he tied them with wire. He looked up. “This is just in case they do still move. I think we have stopped them though. We are going to have to destroy the bodies though. We cannot leave even the vaguest of possibilities that they can be used for anything. Again, I doubt that they would be as I think the carapace is an end product of the process but it would be a dignified end for them. Rennon, it is horrific to suggest it but is there anything you can learn from them?”
Rennon looked down on his friends and the thought horrified him. In his head he was seeing them as friends. The scientist in him was hiding under a duvet somewhere just wishing this would go away. “I do not know what I can learn from them but I wish I didn’t have to try. I will however run some tests. It may take some time and I believe I should take some samples of the carapace and the liquid that came out of them. I left my lab back at the house but as always I have my scanners here and what was there is stuff I have duplicated all over now. I think I can pretty much rig up a lab from what I have stored in the hold of this shuttle if you will allow me the time.”
The Prince checked on the communicator in the cockpit. “I’ve had reports from most of the other shuttles. We lost quite a few people there, most to the carapaces and sadly in the evacuation many were left behind so they are not only lost, they also now also count among our enemies. We do however have time as most of the ships are also making their way to the meeting point. The risk of infiltration here is high so each ship has a different co-ordinate. We will travel around and pick them up one by one so that they can be appropriately scanned without revealing the location of our main fleet. So, Rennon, you have some time to do what research you wish to do but please keep it succinct. We do not have days, I can give you hours though and I believe you will also wish to take them somewhere that can be their final resting place.
5
The Prince brought the shuttle down to land on an uninhabited planet on the edge of the Dariunus Nebula. The sky swirled with an orange hue and the blues and greens of the lichens gave it a mystical appearance. Lavender flowers grew in clumps all over the place. Yellow lichens trailed like hair from tall stick like growths and fluttered in the gentle breeze.
The Prince completed the engine shut down and lowered the ramp. He stood up slowly and walked into the back of the shuttle. Joniel stood stock still. Kyla was beside him as they looked out onto the colourful planet. Joniel had his arm around her and she was leaning on him heavily. As Anathorn approached them he could see that Kyla was shaking badly. Anathorn put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. Aliniel put a hand on her arm and Kyla put that arm around her and pulled her daughter close to her. Joniel kissed her on the forehead. “It is time.” He lifted Arla from the bench and walked slowly down the ramp followed by Kyla and Aliniel. Kyla nearly fell as she stepped forwards and her legs buckled. Anathorn stepped forwards to support her and helped her down the ramp. Then Aliniel took over and Anathorn went back up to Rennon and followed them carrying Kel on a stretcher.
They walked slowly in silence through the forest of lichens. The gentle breeze fluttered the lichen hair and there was a scent of flowers in the air. The path was indistinct and wild but they managed to pick their way through the tendrils which crossed it at intervals.
At the top of the hill Joniel lay his daughter down on the soft mossy ground. He crouched for a moment and stroked her golden hair. He then pulled the cloth that had been wrapped around her neck up to cover up the cut and the calcified part of her face. Kel was laid beside her. Joniel took Kel’s hand and hers and put one in the other. He then backed away to put his arm around Kyla and Aliniel as Anathorn stepped forwards. He laid a cloth over the two bodies, covered it with igniting fuel and stepped back.
Joniel stepped forwards and knelt at the feet of the bodies. There were tears running down his face. Kyla stepped forwards, leaving Aliniel with Anathorn to stand beside her husband. He spoke slowly and with deliberation. “I promise with all that I am that you will be avenged.” He stood up and turned around and even Prince Anathorn took a step back. There was a look of pure anger in Joniel’s eyes. He seemed taller and there was a dark shadow about him. He looked down at Kyla. “Kyla, I promise you, our daughter will not have died in vain. I will do all in my power to bring these people to justice and I mean my justice.” He turned back to the prone bodies. “Kel, we didn’t see eye to eye but I still respected you. Goodbye my friend. Arla, you were ever loving, ever beautiful and I hope now that you are at peace. Goodbye my daughter.”
Kyla looked at him but her expression was blank. Tears still flowed uncontrollably down her face and she appeared not to be focusing on anything in particular. Aliniel ran to her and clung to her and was visibly shaking as she slid down to the ground to sit at Kyla’s feet. Kyla shut her eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again. “You are right. We are not victims or we will die slowly one by one.” She took Aliniel’s arm from around her and reached for Anathorn’s hand. She put Aliniel’s hand in his. “Take care of my child. I give her into your keeping.” Anathorn helped Aliniel up and supported her back to where Rennon was standing.
Joniel looked down at Kyla and saw so much pain written in her expression. As she stood up he clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug into his palms and drew blood. He took a box out of his robes and held it for a moment. He looked down at the two bodies on the ground in front of him. He flicked the switch and the box burst into flame. He bent down and threw it onto the bodies which ignited with an orange flame. He then stepped back and stood beside Kyla and they watched as silver tendrils spread from the box and covered the bodies then exploded into violet light before combusting with a brilliant white light.
As the flames subsided Kyla bent down and picked up some of the earth and let it fall through her hand. “I take earth, from where life came and will return, I pass it through air which gives us life. As I pledged my life once to the service of the White Lady now I take that power and I release it. Let it break the final binding. Take my pain, use it as you will. I release you by right of blood. I release you by right of anger. I release you from your bond, I release you from your vow taken to keep peace in the Galaxies. My Queen Isis by my blood I demand retribution.” The air began to crackle around her and flashes of white light shot from her hands. She reached for the knife on her belt and pulled it from its sheath. Joniel tried to snatch it from her but he was too late. She plunged her hands downwards towards her heart. There was a crack like thunder and Kyla’s wrist was caught by an elegant long fingered hand. The blade was stopped by a black haired woman dressed in gossamer white who now stood in front of her. She had stopped the knife just a breath from Kyla’s chest.
The woman smiled. “That will be quite enough. No my child, that is not necessary, the texts are far too poetical. You have asked and I have felt your pain. I will not stand by and see innocents suffer, not any more. The vow is broken by the sacrifice that has already been made. I and my husband will stand beside you both as we are now released. We commit our fleet, battleships and facilities to the cause. Your sacrifice was too great but I have heard your call.” She smiled at Kyla, her face serene. “Kyla your loyalty has been without question, your love without bounds. You have mastered all the orders of healing. I would not take that from you for one moment of justified anger. I have used that anger to break our ancient binding, we are now free. A healer’s true anger and justified hate is power strong enough to do that.”
Kyla looked at peace. “I would gladly have given it if it could have saved her. Take whatever you wish from me. Can you give her back to me?”
There were tears in Isis’s eyes. “I cannot. I will do what I can now.” She smiled at Joniel. “To right the wrongs done by my brother I give you another gift of healing. Once the change has begun it cannot be stopped but if you can heal quickly enough you will be able to neutralise it immediately after the blow is struck.” She touched Kyla on the head and she collapsed. Joniel caught her just before she hit the ground.
Isis turned to Rennon. “I think if you analyse the energy that Kyla can now use to heal you will be able to duplicate the frequency to create a device to distribute more widely. I would assume you would prefer a more scientific approach to this? It is the strongest form of healing, it may be able to reverse the effects of the fluid if you research and adapt it.”
Rennon looked stunned and nodded.
There was a crack of thunder and a tall thin muscular man appeared, his nose was hooked and his black hair hung to his shoulders. In his eyes they could see the universes as pinpoints of stars on a deep black background. He stepped to stand next to Isis. “We respect your love as only those who know what it is to live lifetimes apart. But this is a time for the practical, not poets. Prince Anathorn, as my wife has indicated we are now able to commit our ships and troops to the war.”
Prince Anathorn knelt before Osiris who stepped over and put his hand on Anathorn’s head. “Without your skill in handling this war so far there would be nothing now to salvage. I am in your debt. You shall remain as my Prince but would you accept a King’s command?”
Anathorn did not hesitate. “Gladly.”
Osiris smiled, his elegantly handsome features slightly hawk like. “That is good. I will communicate with you via the usual channels. If I may download my security software first as you seem to have a few more eyes and ears in the system than would be wise.” He held his hand out and Anathorn handed him his scanner. Osiris clipped in an organic looking stick. “That should help. Any machine that is in contact with that unit will spread the protection software. Anyone trying to hack it will get a very unpleasant surprise.”
Isis reached into the flames and pulled out a small metal device. “This is what has brought them to you. It isn’t bio linked so they will not know that Kel is dead. It will help us to lure at least some of them where we want them to go.”
Osiris smiled. “Indeed.” He took the device and put it in a pocket in his robes. “That will give us the chance to manipulate them for a change. I think a few bio units who look a lot like you but with a little less vulnerability should keep their forces tied up for a while. It may give you a bit of peace which you so rightly deserve or a chance to move about more freely.”
Isis stood in front of Kyla who was being held up by Joniel. “I can’t take away the pain you have felt as it is part of who you are now. I can tell you that you will have the blessing of another child. I hope that the son you will conceive tonight will be born into a happier and more peaceful world. Let that be something that drives you on, not anger.” She smiled and took Kyla’s hand. She then took Joniel’s hand and held the two hands together. “I am sorry that it took this to release us. If I could have given you the healing before I would have done but it would have been in direct contravention of our agreement and bond.”
Osiris stepped over and took his wife’s arm. “We must bid you farewell now as we need to organise our troops and deploy our ships.” There was a wicked gleam in his eye. “Prince Anathorn, you must take them to your private home tonight, nowhere else. I will contact you with further information. Do not attempt to go anywhere or get involved with anything that you see happening tonight.” He touched his wrist device and Osiris and Isis disappeared.
Kyla looked up at Joniel who had managed to raise a smile. He bent down and kissed her on her forehead. “Where are we going to go? He said to your home my Prince, where is that?”
Rennon looked up. “I would say that my vote is to find somewhere where there are a minimum of murdering and psychotic bastards trying to kill us. I would expect that there will be a huge offensive by these new ships for a while so we had better find somewhere as far as possible from Follower territory.”
The Prince smiled. “Whitewater. It has a low technological level and is off of the main trade routes. I have a ranch there.”
Kyla tried to smile. “Sounds like a good idea.”
They got back into the shuttle and as they took off the Prince got a huge document download, swore and sat down to start reading it. Aliniel sat beside him, her head on his shoulder as he read through the pages. She yawned slightly and fell asleep. He smiled as he heard her breathing change.
Rennon was seated on the bench opposite the Prince with his scanner in hand. He was still trying to work out what had been changed. He kept smiling to himself and occasionally he uttered a “Well I never” or an “Oh my god that is amazing”.
Joniel and Kyla were sitting in the cockpit but Joniel was flying, Kyla had her head rested on the high back of the chair and was drifting in and out of sleep, tears still rolled down her cheeks and she made no attempt to wipe them away. Joniel looked across at her while she was sleeping, reached over and brushed away a stray hair that was hanging over her face.
They were approaching the ranch and Joniel circled it as he looked for a good place to land. It was a lot like Whitewater Town but the house was bigger. It was a huge structure that looked like it had many rooms on two levels under a pitched roof. Smoke swirled upwards from the chimneys and people were milling about, going about their business. The solid brick house had been freshly painted white which contrasted well with the grey of the roof.
The compound was mostly covered in grass. There were three paddocks, one of which had a circle worn in it. A young man was exercising a large black stallion who was going through his paces around the circle and proving hard to control.
A couple of dogs were sleeping on the veranda of the house. A small herd of sheep were grazing on what looked like a manicured lawn until they were chased off by an irate middle aged man wearing an apron and brandishing a meat clever. They weren’t going to wait around to find out what he had in mind. He then returned to the barn. The door was half open and he could then be seen smashing up and slicing beets with the clever and throwing them into buckets.
Joniel was looking for a safe place to land where he wouldn’t land on any of the animals or people and that was proving a little difficult. Finally a gap emerged.
As they flew down to land in the stockade on Whitewater the Prince received another update. He put the scanner in his pocket and they stepped out of the shuttle, cloaked it and walked across the compound towards the ranch house. It was on two storeys, the upper storey built into the pitched roof. There were a large number of windows. A stockade had been built around it which encompassed about a hectare and there were guards patrolling the walls, around a platform which allowed them to walk around the top on the inside and see out. The Prince had already sent his code so they were expecting them and merely glanced over to see what was happening when they had de-cloaked and got out of the shuttle.
A tall, thin, grey haired man with long grey moustaches came out to greet them. A beaming smile on his face showed how glad he was to see Anathorn, he saw the Princes guests and took on a more formal stance. He bowed slightly to the Prince when he approached. Anathorn laughed. “Jake, there is no need for all that, you know that. These are my friends. Good to see you again.”
Jake smiled. “You weren’t so important when you left. You are Prince now. I feel I should bow or something. Maggie has cooked you a meal that would flaw a full grown bull. I hope you are hungry.”
Anathorn laughed. “Ravenous and I expect my friends would enjoy a big meal too. I don’t need to ask if you have got rooms ready for us all. How are the animals?”
Jake smiled. “I’d have been mortally offended if you had. You will find things all right and proper sir, just as you asked for. Your mare is doing well, she isn’t ready for riding though. She’s got a new born at foot. She had a beautiful Palomino by Gustauf. He’s doing well too, he’s in with the bonded mares who are due to go back to their owners in a month. They have all paid and it looks like Gustauf has done his duty. I’m sorry to have to tell you but we lost Acken last winter I’m afraid, that old dog loved you. He was old and he fell asleep and didn’t wake up. Other than that the steers have multiplied well, you have a good heard of nearly three thousand now and you have about two hundred head of sheep that went to the market last week so your accounts are looking very healthy. Your standing stock are doing well, they are out on the wild lands on the east pasture at the moment. We have branched out into goats as you suggested and the dairy and cheese making is doing really well. The rhasvarks you brought back have done well. You have twelve now.”
