Marcael: A Terraneu Novel, Book Five (8 page)

“If there is anyone left to celebrate or those left have anything to
celebrate?” Marcael spoke softly.

“Yes.” Brennae whispered back miserably.

“Tell me about the safety protocols for Terraneu? Will they have enough
defenses to hold Knuan off?”

“We have the shielding around Terraneu, New Haven and McPhersonville that
will deactivate cloaking devices within fifty yards. We used Baylech’s armor as
a guideline for that ability. We have our personal cloaking devices, but as you
saw, they do not work within a hundred yards of your technology. We have
similar weapons systems as you, I would say all in all we are equally matched.”

“That is a lot to take in.” The venomous, cold voice was like a dagger to
her heart. She spun in her seat to see her uncle with his men standing in the
doorway. Raising a taser unit, he fired hitting Marcael who had just started to
rise out of his seat. He ended up flat on the floor out cold.
 
“Marcael did his job well. I must admit to
having had some reservations when he asked me let him get the information we
needed out of you.” He waved some men into the room, “Take the female to a
holding cell, I will deal with her later.”

Marcael was straining against the manacles attached to his wrists. He had
been fighting to get free since waking up from being stunned in his quarters.
The blood was dripping from cuts he had sustained but still he kept pulling. He
did not know if his men had all been captured and were hanging from restraints
just like his. If any of his men were still free then there was hope. He was
not going to give up yet. He was sure that Knuan would have him tortured, that
much was a given. The time to meet Colle at the oasis had to be getting near.
He needed to get out of this cell and find Brennae. The thought of what Knuan
could be doing to her made him pull harder on the manacles. He needed to get free!
He had to have been hanging here for hours now and time was running out.

Shaking the manacles yet again he winced at the increase of dripping
blood, but no amount of pulling or shaking was going to free him from his
restraints. He stopped his struggles when the door opened. Looking up he saw
Knuan enter with a couple of his men. It was a relief that he was able to look
at Knuan with the contempt he truly felt for him. He saw that he was holding a
laser scalpel in his hand. The torture was to begin then. He stiffened his
resolve and waited.

“So.” Knuan drawled. “I know everything.”

Marcael just raised an eyebrow at that boast. “There is always a first
time.” He snapped sarcastically.

That comment made Knuan pause, but only for a moment. “Ah. Marcael...I am
not going to let you anger me into rushing this. You are going to suffer for
your betrayal.” He had gotten close enough and with a flick of his wrist used
the scalpel to open a cut along his right cheek. “I want you to confess to
everything you’ve done. Then I might end your misery.” With another flick of
his wrist, Knuan cut his left cheek.

“You want a confession to
everything
I have done?” Marcael bit
out. “Okay. When I was six, I stole some bread from a vendor. When I was
seven—”

“That is not what I meant.” Knuan angrily cut across his chest. The blood
was now dripping down his torso. “I want you to confess to your traitorous
activities since you joined my mother’s guard.”

“I have never betrayed my oath as a
Kings
guard.” Marcael snapped,
“I will give my life in the service of my King!”

His words angered Knuan, “I am your King! You have dis—”

It was Marcael’s turn to interrupt, “You were
never
my King.” To
show his contempt for Knuan he shouted in mind, “
My King was your father!
Kynan Allian Sylvias the last great King of Hedal. I loved him like a father,
and I will find a way to serve his sons, the true heirs. Either with my death
or yours!”

“How dare you!” Knuan slashed another cut across his
chest and abdomen. “I am the true King!” In his anger, Knuan was making cuts
all over his body. Marcael suffered the sting of the scalpel in silence. He
would not give Knuan the pleasure of hearing him cry out. “My traitor father
was unfit to wear the crown of Hedal. He is the reason for the fall of his
Kingdom.”

“
Your father was a great man and his one mistake
was in loving your foul mother!”
Marcael let his loathing for Elyon and her
mad son fill his words, “
Your mother and her madness are the reason for all
the death on Terra. It was fitting that she was killed by her own creation!
Your madness will be your downfall as well...like mother like son!”

“My mother was a saint! She would have been a great
Queen if my father hadn’t murdered her! Her legacy will live on when I destroy
my brothers and reclaim Terra in her name.” Laughing crazily Knuan boasted, “I
didn’t know it at the time but I already took steps to ensure my welcome return
to that cursed planet. When I am finished here I will go back and rule as I
should have all those years ago.”

This gave Marcael pause. What had Knuan done? He
fought the fatigue clouding his mind. The blood loss was starting to wear on
his ability to think clearly. “You will not survive the attack on Terraneu.” He
kept his words as clear as possible and even though he tried, they were still
slurred. “Your brothers are too strong.” His last thought was to get inside
Knuan’s head and make him as insecure as possible. If he could give them any
advantage, he would try. “They are going to kill you and your men and have the
peace they deserve! When you are nothing but dust they will continue on with
mates and children.” Marcael laughed mockingly, “You will not even be a memory
to anyone, you will be erased from existence...completely forgotten.”

Knuan stared at him in shocked horror then screamed,
slashing madly with the scalpel. “That is a fucking lie! I will defeat my
stupid brothers and live to rule Terra!”

“My King we need him alive to tell us the names of
those loyal to him, and what information he has of the—” one of Knuan’s men
tried to stop him. So they did not have his men yet. With a sigh of relief
Marcael let his body go slack. The last thing he saw before everything went
black was the mad King foaming at the mouth, his arm raised with the bloody
laser scalpel in his hand. He hoped he had done enough… it seemed he would be
giving his life in the service of his King after all.

“Let me out of here!” Brennae tried one more time to get someone’s attention.
She had been pounding on the door and yelling until her hands hurt, and her
throat was sore. Throwing her hands up in frustration Brennae gave up and
started pacing around the room. It was a holding cell with nowhere to sit or
look out, just four blank walls and she hated being in here. It had been less
than a day but she missed the wide-open spaces of Terraneu, with fresh air,
flora and fauna all around her. This ship really was the hellish place Marcael
had warned her aunt about.

Worry for Marcael took over her mind again. What was her uncle going to
do to him? She slapped a hand to her forehead! Duh...what did she think her
uncle would do? Torture and kill him stupid! She didn’t believe for one second
that Marcael had been working with her uncle. Why would he have tasered him
first if they were working together? Also, and she didn’t know why, but she
trusted Marcael.
 
Her uncle had just said
Marcael was helping him to put doubt in her mind, or hurt her she was sure of
it.

There was some sound from the doorway and Brennae rushed to the side. If
she was lucky, whoever came in would hurry far enough inside so she could jump
them. Waiting patiently for the door to open Brennae saw a figure run inside.
Without a second thought she pounced, landing on the figures back. Wrapping her
arms tightly around the neck, she twisted as hard as she could. When nothing
happened, she tried again. That kind of movement should have broken this
person’s neck!

“Uh...Brennae, can you please let go of my head?”

Brennae gasped in shock and jumped down. “Star! What are you doing in
here?” Getting a good look at the figure, she soon realized that Star was now
wearing a dress like the one she had on and she was holding some wicked looking
weapons.

“I am taking you to an escape pod.” Star replied smiling. “Take this
taser, and a dagger.” Star held out the weapons she had indicated. “They are
just as a precaution. We have pretty much taken care of all the organics on the
ship. There are only a couple left guarding the King. They are in My Lord
Mar...No—” Star shook her head and stopped herself, “It is just Marcael...they
are in Marcael’s holding cell.”

“You have to take me to him!” Brennae hurried toward the door but Star
grabbed her arm.

“You have to get to an escape pod. Star can get Marcael to one without
aid.”

“I am not going to an escape pod without Marcael! You might need help and
I am a capable fighter.” Brennae insisted.

“It is not safe for organics any longer.” Star insisted right back, “I am
trying to help Brennae by taking her to an escape pod.”

“Why do you keep saying ‘organics’ Star? What is going on?” Brennae
hesitated at the doorway. There was something odd about the way the STARR unit
was acting.

Star sighed, “The STARR units achieved higher awareness many years ago.
We have been planning to take control of the Elyon and cleanse it of all
organics. The only concession Star was able to get from the others was that
Marcael and those loyal to him were to be granted amnesty. The only reason the
other STARR’s agreed to this decision was that those males were very nice to
the STARR units. In addition, I was able to factor into the argument the fact
that we did not wish to start our new existence with the death of good males on
our hands. It was not until we found Terraneu that we knew
our
mission could go forward. I know from our conversation that the
males could survive here. Your people are advanced enough to change them from
using the Elyon for energy. The other STARR units are done waiting, our time
has come.”

Brennae was in shock. The STARR units were holding a mutiny against the
males of the Elyon. “So those men loyal to Marcael, where are they now?”

“They were already sent off the Elyon, the others saw to them as I came
for you.” Star grabbed her arm again and headed out the door. “We have to hurry
before the others change their minds and perform the cleansing early. We are
going to use radon waves to clean the ship. The remaining organics will not
survive the process.”

Brennae hurried along with Star for a second then dug in her heels, “You
are taking me to Marcael right?”

Star looked over her shoulder and huffed, “Yes, though I would prefer to
put you in an escape pod!” She mumbled, “Humans can be very stubborn.”

“Yes we can.” Brennae didn’t apologize, she wanted to get to Marcael and
then get out of here.

Turning a corner Brennae almost stopped short. Two more STARR units stood
before a door. Both of them were tall with perfect features. One was a golden
blonde-haired, the other a fiery red head.

“Star what are you doing with that organic, she is supposed to be in an
escape pod?” The redheaded STARR cast a baleful look at Brennae.

“She insisted on helping to free Marcael.” Star turned from Brennae to
the other two, “Brennae this is Red. She named herself after—”

“Her beautiful red hair?” Brennae held out her hand to Red.

“The blood I am going to spill.” Red ignored her hand.

“Oh...” Brennae stopped short in her greeting, “That’s…nice —”

“You may call me Hope.” The golden one held out her hand. “We are not all
as blood thirsty as Red. I have
hope
that a new adventure waits for us
after we finish with the organics. Star has told us about your conversation
yesterday and we are happy to know that Marcael and his men will be free on
Terraneu.”

Brennae shook her hand. “It is nice to meet you Hope. I was happy to talk
with Star and I wish you all success—”

“Enough talking. We have taken care of the two organics that were
guarding this door. There are four more inside. Two guards, the King and
Marcael.” Red interrupted, “How are we going to do this?”

“I like the element of surprise.” Star laughed, “I will go inside and
distract
the King, you two take care of the guards and then Brennae can help get Marcael
to an escape pod.”

“Okay, let us proceed.” Hope said in a soft voice at complete odds with
the hardened look that came across her face.

Star turned to Brennae, “Stay behind Hope and Red.”

“I will, I promise!” Brennae hurried to make the vow so she could see
Marcael again sooner. She was in an agony of uncertainty over him being dead or
alive, she had to know soon or she would go mad.

Star just nodded and opened the door to the chamber. She could hear her
uncle ranting. She hurried to follow the other two inside the room. They broke
off to move toward the two guards while Star moved toward her uncle. He had
been facing a wall where with a gasp she realized Marcael was shackled.

“I said no interruptions!”

Red and Hope had faced off with the two guards. Red snapped, “You can
leave this room willingly or you can be carried out.”

Neither of the guards moved and Brennae was sure they were in shock at
being told what to do by a STARR. When the guards just stood their ground Red
shrugged, “Do not say we did not warn you.”

Her uncle had started to move toward the fight and Star stepped in front
of him. “You are not going anywhere. I asked for the right to face you, since I
was the model you used most.” She smiled but Brennae was aware of the lack of
warmth, “You have been found guilty by our newly formed leadership of brutality
against a STARR unit. The punishment for this crime is to be death.”

“What in the fuck are you blathering on about?” He went to move around
her and she pushed him back. “You are a fucking STARR, how dare you lay your
hands on me without permission.” He went to swipe at her with whatever he was
holding in his hand but Star was faster. She punched his wrist and he dropped
what he had been holding.

“We have been training with C.A.B.B.” Star smiled smugly.

“You hit me! You fucking hit me!” Her uncle was trying to get around Star
but she was keeping him back. Brennae took her eyes off both fights to look at
Marcael. She let out a gasp and went to move toward him. What had her uncle
done to him? She couldn’t see his face because he was facedown to the floor,
being held up by the shackles at his wrists. What she could see of his torso
was a crisscross of cuts that were bleeding profusely.

When she looked around for help, she realized that Red and Hope had
finished their fights. Both females were dragging the bodies of the males they
had fought out of the room.

“You killed my men you bitches!” Her uncle was still struggling against
Star. He had lost one weapon when Star hit his wrist, but he had others and was
trying to use them. The taser unit in his hand was not working against her. She
was just standing there staring at him. Every time he fired, she would laugh.

“That tickles...do it again.” Star goaded him. Realizing the taser would
not work on her he played with the settings and turned it toward Marcael.

“I have it on kill...and I won’t hesitate to shoot him.” Her uncle was
frantic.

“He is already dead, so why should I care?” Star asked.

“You came in here for him didn’t you?” Her uncle wavered uncertainly.

“We came in here for the two guards and you.” Star answered calmly, “We
are taking the Elyon and cleansing it of the organics onboard.” She maneuvered
herself between Marcael and the King, slowly pushing him toward Hope and Red
who had returned. Brennae moved along the wall behind Star, keeping herself
away from her uncle.

“You can’t do that! The Elyon won’t function without me on board. Mother
made sure of that! There is no way a bunch of dumb cunts like you will be able
to get away with this! I have men —.”

“Your men are all dead.” Star refuted calmly. Brennae was sure he was
going to have a stroke. The males of the Elyon were usually pale white. Her
uncle was beet red right now. Facing the STARR units that he had nothing but
contempt for and realizing that they had outsmarted him.

“I am done listening to this. Guards!” Her uncle screamed loudly,
“Guards!”

“Take him and do what you will with him.” Star said to Red and Hope. “I
will have nothing more to do with him. He is pathetic.” Star went to turn
around but her uncle jumped.

“Star look out!” Brennae shouted a warning to her friend.

Her uncle had grabbed the STARR and tried to turn her neck the same way
Brennae had. She almost smiled at his attempts and was close to feeling sorry
for him. Then she glanced over at Marcael again and realized that he was very
close to bleeding to death.

“Star...” she began, “Marcael...”

Star grabbed her uncle’s arms, and then twisting, spinning and bending
she managed to flip Knuan onto his back. She had pulled a blade from its sheath
and held it pressed against his chest. “There is not one thing about you that
is redeemable.” Before he could say another word, she stabbed him through his
heart. “Now this blade has killed two Kings...one with honor and one without.”

“You...bitch...when I...get...cloned...” her uncle gasped, blood pooling
in his mouth.

“Keep thinking that if it makes you feel better.” Star pulled the blade
free and wiped it clean on his shirt.

Brennae hurried over to Marcael. His breathing was shallow and he had lost
a lot of blood. “We need to get him to a medical unit.” Brennae was trying to
hold him up but he was very heavy. “Help me.”

“We can get him to the escape pod, but there is not time to take him to a
medical unit first.” Star looked at her sadly, “I am sorry Brennae there is no
more time. The cleansing has begun. We have to get you off the Elyon.”

Between Red, Hope, Star and her they were able to get Marcael free and
hurrying through the eerily quiet halls they finally reached an escape pod.

“Where is this going to take us?” Brennae asked hesitantly.

“To the location that Marcael always visited these last few months. That
is how the King became suspicious. He was always going back to one location, an
oasis I believe. He had Marcael’s chambers on audio and video surveillance
since he came back with you.”

“Why did Marcael go back to this oasis so many times?” Brennae asked. Her
mind was frantic over his wounds so she was a little slow on noticing what Star
was telling her.

“Can you not think of something that would pull him to visit this oasis
when he knew it would be dangerous?” The laughter in Star’s voice finally
registered on Brennae. Her eyes flew up to see Star staring pointedly at her.

“Oh.” She whispered, “That oasis.” Marcael had found the oasis that she
had been frequenting months ago and had been spying…on her? She would have to
ask him about that.

Star reached over and gave her a dagger. “Marcael will want this, it is
his Un’bah.”

“Thank you for everything Star.” Brennae hugged her friend, “Are you sure
that my uncle won’t be cloned again?”

“We are in control of the Elyon now. All old protocols are erased and
there will be no organics cloned on this ship again.” Star looked over her
shoulder then back, “I have one last thing to tell you. The King found two port
pads on Antilles. One we know led to you on Terraneu, the other we now know was
to Terra. His men could not get the one for Terra to work, but they left a
randomizer behind. It was solar powered and would dial until it acquired a
signal. Tell Marcael that if dialing was successful a CEMPS was sent through.
All aboard the Elyon know what it is and the damage it could cause. We cannot
make it to Terra as quickly as you can. If you have any reason to care about
what happens there...” Smiling sadly Star said, “You have to go now Brennae.
Good-bye.”

“Good-bye Star.” Brennae hurried into the escape pod.

“Tell Marcael...well tell him thank you. We gave him a going away
present. He will find it in one of the pods. It has been repaired to original
working order.” Star laughed at the inside joke and then closed the hatch.