Blue solace complete ser.., p.105
Blue Solace: Complete Series Boxset, page 105
“You really should have surrendered, Cortez,” Fasi said, shaking his head. “Would you like to reconsider?”
Ships approached from behind Cortez’s fleet, and Beldon smiled again, eyes sharp. “You don’t think I was so foolish as to not prepare for this, do you? My colleagues approach, Lord Admiral. How about you surrender? Oh, never mind. I’d rather just destroy you.”
Draif gave the man a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but one of your colleagues had an accident.”
Ginger pulled up a screen and connected it to Beldon’s ship. Finn sprawled in the captain’s chair of the flagship of one of the approaching fleets. “Hey Beldon, buddy. Captain Onion Breath didn’t make it through the fight last night. He’s piled up with the rest of your dead in the commons of this lovely ship. Lord Admiral, can I keep it? It’s so shiny and new. Oh, and we have over a hundred more here.”
The smaller fleet spread out, surrounding the lower side of the HF Fleet. The ships of the Blue Fleet, dropped their shields, becoming visible and filling in the gaps between Finn’s stolen ships.
Beldon paled, shaking. “How did you… How did you find them?”
Draif smiled coldly. “Us lesser beings have a bit of intelligence.”
Plus, Ige told us, Draif thought, doing his best not to dance around the bridge.
The second, smaller HF reinforcement fleet approached Cortez’s right side, and the hope on Beldon’s face almost made Draif feel sorry for him.
Ginger patched through the fleet’s captain.
Ige grinned. “There’s a lot of allies behind you, Draif. Your Lord Admiral sure knows how to make friends.”
“Ige,” Beldon said, voice harsh, “you know this garbage?”
Ige’s face turned cold. “Draif Ando is twice the person you will ever be, Cortez. I’ve dreamed of this moment since supposedly joining your repulsive coalition.”
Draif noticed the captain of Beldon’s flagship reading his comm, face pale.
“You’ll die for this, Ige,” Beldon said, shaking with anger. “I’ll kill you myself.”
“Do you honestly think you’re going to make it out of this, Cortez?” Ige asked.
Beldon sniffed. “Oh, I will. Before the day is out, either Goel or my father will put a contract on your head.”
Bendix stood. “Funny you should say that, you overdeveloped cumshot. I think your captain needs to show you something.”
Silverlight System, Planet Vextonar
* * *
Doris Willaby parked the delivery shuttle at the back of the huge estate after security had thoroughly searched both her and the shuttle.
Enforcement officers patrolled the elegant landscape, a dark spot to the otherwise beautiful scenery. Vextonar was a funny planet. Everything was artificial, from the paved-over earth to the very air the inhabitants breathed. It had long ago lost its ability to sustain life, but the inhabitants clung to it.
Harrison Goel’s cook opened the kitchen door and smiled. “Right on time. Master Goel is in his study. He’s on a conference call with several others.”
Doris smiled and nodded. “Thank you. I’m a little early.”
“I’ll make you a sandwich while you wait,” Cook said and started pulling items from one of the huge refrigerators.
“You don’t have to do that,” Doris said, shuffling her feet. Folks didn’t normally welcome an assassin with open arms. I’m an operative now, not an assassin, she reminded herself.
Cook smiled as she looked over her shoulder. “You’re about to make me very happy, young lady. The least I can do is make you lunch. How’s Draif? I haven’t seen or heard a thing about that boy in years.”
“He’s doing well,” Doris said, sitting at one of the counters. “He has a mate and seems to be very happy. His father just moved to Charybdis Station too.”
Cook’s eyes watered. “Oh. That’s just about the best thing I’ve heard in a long time. Draif’s mama cared a lot about that man. I always hoped he’d be able to buy Draif, but Master Goel put a high price on him. He didn’t want him to go to his father.”
Cook set the sandwich in front of Doris, then went back to the counter to continue cutting vegetables. “Now, Master Goel has two sons and one daughter. They’re all sitting in on his call, so I’m guessing his fleet finally reached Charybdis Station.”
Doris nodded, chewing her food. The contract said to take out all four, Goel and his three children were equally monstrous. The three younger Goels were fully immersed in Humans First.
Cook hummed to herself for a moment. “I suppose Master Goel’s youngest brother will inherit. He’s a good man and not a bit like the master. Last I heard, he lives on Aruta.”
“What about your daughter? Will he let you go to her?”
Cook shook her head, eyes sad. “Kristina passed a few months ago. One of our deliverymen told me.”
“I’m sorry,” Doris said. “Do you have anyone else?”
“The other slaves and servants are kind enough,” Cook said, forcing a smile. “I don’t have a bad life.”
“What’s your name? Draif just called you Cook.”
She smiled. “That’s all he ever knew me by. When I took over the kitchen, that became my name.”
Doris shook her head. “You still have a name. What is it?”
“Gloria,” Cook said, voice cracking. “My mother named me Gloria.”
Doris’s comm chimed, and she read the message. “I can give you five minutes to pack a bag, ma’am. You’ll be welcome on Charybdis Station and can leave with me.”
Doris would make sure they made room on their ship for the woman. Hell, Juniper would probably hire her on at the diner.
The knife clattered on the counter when Cook dropped it. “Charybdis Station? Me?”
Doris popped the last bit of the sandwich into her mouth and nodded. “Five minutes, Gloria.”
Gloria went straight to a door beside the pantry. “I’ll be ready.”
Doris picked up the dropped knife and grabbed a few others while she was there, then activated her shield, disappearing from sight. She quietly walked past the guards, not bothering with them.
The door to the study had two guards on it, and those she did dispatch quickly, using two knifes to slit their throats. After that, she moved fast. Inside, the four people were arguing.
“They’re outnumbered,” Goel yelled. “We’ll have to send another fucking fleet if he fails, Captain Tuggard, and we can’t afford it. Order Beldon to surrender. We may be able to ransom our ships. That’s how those filthy mercenaries work.”
“I’ll start working on the funds,” the lone woman in the room said, reaching for her tablet. “Charybdis Station must be destroyed. They’ve made a mockery of us.”
Doris quickly tossed one of the knives, and it landed deep in Goel’s chest, directly in his heart. Another thrown knife killed the daughter, and Doris drew two more, jumping over a chair to stab the son going for his phaser. The last son wasn’t carrying any weapons, but he was running for the door. He was dead in seconds.
Doris stepped over his body and quickly dragged the two dead guards into the room. Then, she deactivated her shield, picked up Goel’s comm, and waved at the white-faced captain before setting the comm down on the table so the man had a perfect view of Goel’s body.
After taking a few pictures, she activated her shield and left the room. She sent Bendix the images, then deactivated her shield again when she reached the kitchen.
Gloria stood waiting with her bag and twelve other slaves. Each held a bag of their own.
Doris nodded. They’d make room.
“How will we get off the grounds?” one of the other slaves asked. “They only let us leave one at a time and only if we’re running errands.”
Doris pointed up toward the sky. Large dark shapes were coming closer to the surface of the planet. “Everyone’s about to have a lot more to worry about.”
Sheiria
* * *
Sheiria stood on the bridge of the Red Solace and watched as Vextonar’s planetary defenses activated, firing on the approaching fleets. The Betonize battle cruisers were decimating the pitiful fleet Vextonar had sent to face them as they approached.
Dottie’s son and daughter stood with Sheiria, watching their homeworld approach.
“The Vextonar Rebels say they’ll have the planetary defenses down in thirty seconds,” Sheiria’s lieutenant, Javier, said. “Full Moon just messaged. They’re finished and will head up to the medical ship once we start our descent.”
The leaders of each fleet smiled from their individual screens dotting the left-hand side of the bridge’s largest vid-screen.
“Your new covert division is very useful, general,” the Fallon general said.
Sheiria nodded. “They are. Any questions before we move to the planet’s surface?”
The leaders of each fleet shook their heads.
“We’re ready,” Admiral Muwali said. The Admiral of the Lost Paw Mercenaries practically vibrated with excitement.
Sheiria couldn’t really blame him. It wasn’t every day a person got to work with an alliance made of six different mercenary groups and four separate planets.
Ava and the Council filled one of the screens. Ava looked both determined and worried. “Remember, focus on government buildings. We want to reduce civilian casualties as much as possible.”
“We’ll do what we can, Ava,” the Betonize general said. “Hopefully, it will be easier once we get troops on the ground.”
“Planetary defenses are down, general,” Javier said.
Sheiria smiled. “It’s time to do this.”
Sugarworm System, Planet Rueal
* * *
Cas watched his captains take out the few ships Rueal sent to greet the incoming fleets. Draif’s contact had told him Humans First were sending everything they had to Charybdis, and it looked like he was right. All that seemed to be left were the planet’s basic military divisions.
The wealthy planet was all but defenseless, and Cas wondered if the planet’s government regretted throwing their lot in with HF now.
The leaders of the other fleets accompanying Cas seemed as baffled as he was. They were each visible on the Green Solace’s largest vid-screen.
“Why the hell did Rueal’s president send all his ships with HF?” the Grellweir general asked.
Cas shrugged. “His head is so far up Malone’s ass, he doesn’t get much air. That probably makes it hard to think clearly.”
“Planetary defenses are down,” Crow said through the comm system.
Cas grinned and whooped. “You’re the best, Crow.”
“I’ve been waiting on this for a long time,” Crow said. “Remove the shit from my planet, so our people can come home.”
“With pleasure,” the Dedril general said from his screen, smiling. “We’re focusing solely on governmental and military buildings. Make sure you get your people to safe zones, Mr. Crow.”
The Dedril and Drellian fleets started toward the largest city on the planet while the Siren and Tammolian fleets headed toward the second largest city. Cas and the Cardinal general were responsible for the capital.
“I have people entering the capital now,” Crow said. “I’ll meet you on the ground.”
Cas’s pilot flew the Green Solace straight toward the capital. Malone and Hald were on the planet, but Cas knew Full Moon already had people at Malone’s vineyard outside the city. Hald was across the planet, being visited by another Full Moon operative.
“Why aren’t the ground defenses firing at us?” Cas’s pilot, Yanis, asked. “I expected more resistance from the military forces.”
“Uh, Cas,” Crow said through the comm. “This may be a lot easier than we planned.”
“What is it?”
“Land in front of the Capital building.”
“Is there room?”
“They’ll make room,” Crow said.
Cas looked at his crew and shrugged. “To the Capital building.”
By the time they landed and Cas and his crew left the ship, Cas knew what Crow was talking about. A woman stood at the top of the steps of the Capital building. Next to her was the body of the President who had signed over the planet to Malone and Humans First.
“My name is Jada Corvin,” the woman said, holding out her hand. “Word came through about thirty minutes ago that Teresa Malone and her cronies are dead. I hope you don’t mind, but I and several others joined in your attack. We’ve wanted Humans First and our incompetent president out of power for a while. We’re taking the city now but aren’t meeting with much resistance.”
Cas shook her hand.
Crow came to stand next to them. “I know Jada. She was a friend of my dad’s. She’s good people.”
Cas grinned. “Nice to meet you, ma’am. If you have things handled here, we’ll move on to another city. We have a planet to neutralize.”
A few hours from Charybdis Station
* * *
Draif watched Beldon Cortez stare at images of the bodies of his father, Goel, Malone, and Hald. Several more images appeared. Bendix and Fasi had decided to try to take out as much of Humans First’s leadership as possible.
“No,” Beldon said, falling into a seat. “That’s not possible.”
“I wouldn’t look for help from Vextonar or Rueal either,” General Phillia of Siren’s Lament said. “Siren’s Lament and Cardinal’s Hold are aiding the Green General, Tammol, Aruta, and the Drell in taking control of Rueal. From the updates I’m receiving, it’s going rather well.”
The Fallon general smiled sweetly. “Fallow and Grellweir are likewise assisting Charybdis Station’s Red General, several mercenary groups, and the Betonize president’s personal fleet in taking back Vextonar. How foolish of you to leave the planet unprotected.”
Fasi gave the man a cold look. “Did you truly think you could continue to devastate the galaxy without consequences? Now, this is the last time I’ll ask. Do you surrender?”
Beldon’s face turned red and his eyes darted around the bridge of his ship. “We will never surrender!”
Fasi’s smile was terrifying. “Good.”
The screen went blank, and the HF ships attacked. “Beldon will run,” Draif said, moving to the captain’s seat.
“I’m on him,” Ige said. “My captains know what to do.”
Lucas and the others moved to the weapons controls. With the improvements Pops and Tae had made overnight, the Black Heron had a hell of a lot more weaponry than before.
Draif took a breath and focused on the battle around him. Humans First were outnumbered, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t do their best to take Charybdis and their allies down with them.
“Ginger, focus on herding those small fighter ships together,” Draif said. “General Phillia’s fleet is best equipped to fight the battle cruisers, so leave them to her. Lucas and Anders, don’t bother with the energy net missiles. Fire the ion missiles instead. I want their shields down. Crimson, Ned, and Alex, man the pulse cannons and aim for those small ships. Use plasma missiles for the larger vessels when we come across them.”
Draif watched as his crew worked in tandem with one another. Ginger flew the ship, blocking the movements of several fighter ships, keeping them close together.
Lucas and Anders fired ion missiles into the group and took out the shields of several ships, allowing Crimson and Ned to finish them off with several shots from the pulse cannon.
A mid-grade ship started toward them, and Lucas fired several ion missiles at it, reducing the shields so Alex could take it out with a couple of plasma missiles.
About twenty minutes later, General Pyllia’s large ships took out the last battle cruiser, and the remaining HF ships moved from attacking to retreat.
“Finn, don’t let any get past your fleet,” Fasi ordered. “We finish Humans First today.”
“Sure thing, Lord Admiral.” Finn’s fleet held the line and cut off the retreating ships, destroying them quickly.
Draif watched through the viewport as the last HF ship was torn apart by a plasma missile.
Fasi looked up from his comm. “Audre says they have troops planetside on Vextonar. Winneon and the Prime are fighting hard, but we’re gaining ground.”
“What about Cas?” Lucas asked.
“They’re planetside too, working city to city. The capital is already in our control.”
Ige’s voice came through the ship’s comm. “Draif, it’s done. Beldon Cortez’s ship is floating rubble.”
Draif leaned back in his chair, eyes locking with his mate’s. Excitement filled him, and he had to force his body to stay still.
It was over.
Chapter 21
Anchor’s Rest System, Charybdis Station
Lucas kept Draif’s hand in his as they left the ship. He felt so light and happy, he was practically dancing. “I can’t believe it’s over. Humans First is really finished.”
Draif’s eyes narrowed in thought. “There will always be people like them in the galaxy, but hopefully, they’ll think twice before committing mass murder.”
“Hopefully, no one will ever find another Rising Queen,” Fasi said from beside them. “I don’t mean to minimize what Humans First did, but that creature plotted and manipulated the lot of them.”
Lucas stopped walking when Honey started climbing to the top of his head. For some reason, the little dragon liked to perch up there.
“Grandpa!” Rizzie’s voice interrupted their conversation. The little Siren ran up the ship’s ramp and jumped into Fasi’s arms.
Sami followed with Pax. The little boy hugged Draif’s legs. “Are the bad guys gone now?”
