Fury to the Stars (Universe in Flames Book 2) (4 page)

What?
Chase echoed the distant call
back in his mind. He knew that voice.

“Move away from the bed, sir. Now!” another voice
called in his mind.

What was happening? Chase looked back at his
brother. He was smirking with a wicked glee. Chase took a deep breath and
prepared to launch his attack.

“Wake up now, Chase!” Aphroditis shouted in his
mind.

Then everything changed all at once. He was no
longer standing, but sitting in a bed. Daniel was in front of him, waving his
arms. A security guard, rifle in hand, was shouting at them both.

“Get away, Commander, we don’t know what will
happen. He must be dealt with!” the guard shouted in clear panic.

“Stand down, now! This is a direct order, Ensign!”
Daniel shouted back.

Chase shifted his focus towards his right arm.
Hovering in front of it was the same blue fireball that he had been about to
launch towards the man in what he could only surmise had been yet another
vision. Or perhaps it had been a nightmare? It didn’t matter anymore. He
quickly closed his eyes and concentrated on calming down. He took a deep breath
and opened his eyes again. The ball was receding little by little. Soon it was
gone.

The guard saw and lowered his weapon. Almost
instantly, Daniel turned to look into his friend’s eyes, turned again, took
three steps forward, and punched the security guard across the jaw, sending him
flying to the ground.

“You’re dismissed, asshole. Report to the brig for
insubordination.”

“But…”

“
Now
!”

The ensign got up, still holding his face as blood
spilled out from his cracked lip.

“Yes, Commander, sorry, sir.”

He took off from the med-bay, leaving his weapon on
the ground.

“You okay, buddy?” Daniel said cautiously,
approaching Chase’s side.

“Yeah, I think so.” Chase sat with his legs hanging
over the side of the bed and rubbed his temples.

“You scared me shitless. What the hell was that?”

Chase sighed. “Wish I knew.”

“This is getting out of hand. First the incident in
your quarters, now this?”

“I know... I need to get off the
Destiny
before I hurt someone.”

Daniel’s face tightened. “I didn’t mean...”

“I know you didn’t, but we both know I’m endangering
the ship and everyone onboard.”

Daniel took him calmly by the shoulders. “What
actually happened? How did you destroy your quarters? And what the hell was
that sphere of light just now?”

“My powers.”

“Don’t patronize me,” Daniel reproached, then his
face changed. “What powers?”

“Aphroditis told me I wasn’t originally from the
Alliance. You remember those subtle difference in my DNA?”

“Yeah, what about them?”

“Well, I’m a Fury, or at least half of one. I’m
still trying to wrap my brain around it.”

“What’s a Fury?”

“An older race that apparently has very strong
powers.”

“Are there others like you?”

“I don’t know. Aphroditis said the Fury were extinct
but I met one in my vision, nightmare, whatever that was just now.”

Daniel raised his eyebrows. “And he was… unfriendly,
I take it?”

“Yeah, I think he’s the one who took Sarah.” Chase’s
face tightened. “And Dan… he looked just like me.”

“Dude, you lost consciousness so many times the last
few days, I’ve stopped counting. I wouldn’t interpret anything you saw while
dreaming.”

“I would. I think Ryonna is in trouble.”

“Who the hell is Ryonna?”

“She’s the one who got us the quadrinium and helped
us find the rest of the ships.”

Daniel nodded quickly, trying to follow along.
“Where is she now?”

“Hellstar prison, if I had to venture a guess.”

“Nothing you can do about her now then.”

“I’m not going to just sit here when we have a
lead,” Chase replied.

“That place is no picnic, Chase! How do you even get
inside?”

“I’ll find a way.”

Daniel sighed. “Okay, for the sake of argument,
let’s say you find a way to get there. How will you fight your way inside? With
what assault force? I know the captain trusts you, but after these two lasts
stunts of yours, I don’t see him going along with you on this one.”

“I know. I didn’t intend to involve the
Destiny
.
This is probably something I have to do on my own,” said Chase gravely.

Captain Saroudis’ voice resonated from the comm.

“All senior officers report to the bridge. We’ll be
arriving on Droxia any minute now.”

“Feel like taking a walk?” Daniel asked.

“Absolutely.” Chase jumped out of the bed. “Let’s
go.”

Sarah felt as though every muscle in her body had
been ripped apart. She hardly had the energy to keep herself conscious and
could feel her spirits beginning to falter. She had lost a lot of blood, and
little by little she could feel herself slipping away. Each passing moment left
her feeling less and less anchored to her own body. She began to lose her grip
on reality. She knew she needed to remember something; there was a secret she
was meant to keep. She vaguely remembered being captured by Obsidian, and she
knew she wanted to stay quiet.

And she remembered Chase. Of course she remembered Chase.
But truth be told, she was in so much torment that she could barely picture his
face anymore.

“Where are you?” The voice was her own, but she
didn’t remember allowing herself to speak.

“My brother isn’t coming, I’m afraid,” a man
answered her. “And unless you start talking soon, I am afraid you’ll never see
him again.”

Her eyes shot open, but she saw nothing. Tears
poured down her cheeks. She no longer had the strength to keep him at bay. With
each passing moment, her will weakened as her body slowly began to shut down.

“Alright, maybe it’s time for a change of pace,” the
man said, when Sarah still refused to speak.

He gestured with two fingers, and Sarah came
crashing down to the floor, barely able to protect her face with her hands
before hitting the ground. The pain was excruciating—almost unbearable. But she
was a soldier, after all, and soldiers didn’t quit.

“Go to hell!” she spat with what little voice she
had left.

“Somehow I doubt I’ll get there before you,” he
replied with a scoff. “Let me make you a deal. Obviously you don’t want to give
up any information about your precious planet or the Alliance. I commend your
courage, though right now I think it borders more on utter stupidity, but it is
commendable nonetheless. So… what about the Droxians?”

“Droxians... Ryonna,” Sarah mumbled deliriously. She
was on the verge of losing consciousness.

“Who’s Ryonna?”

“Friend…”

“Yours? Chase’s?” The man’s questions held a frantic
tone.

But Sarah’s energy had left her. She tried to keep
her thoughts straight, but she felt as though she was experiencing everything
through a hazy fog. The pain was simply too agonizing. She could hold on no
longer.

“Come on, one last effort and you’ll be rewarded,”
he offered. “If Ryonna is your friend, where is she now?”

“Hell…” Sarah croaked.

“She’s dead?”

“…Star.”

“Hellstar prison?”

“We need to help her. Chase... we need to…”

“Poor thing, you think I’m...” The man suddenly
stopped himself. He studied her closely before continuing in a hesitant voice.
“Yes, Sarah, hang on. I need you to help get Ryonna.”

“Help...”

The word fell quiet on her lips as her heart gave
out once and for all.

The man sighed. “Not again.”

He raised his hands and a white energy flowed in
strands from his fingers, enveloping her body for a brief moment. The light
glowed warmly, then vanished as she opened her eyes.

“Chase,” she murmured, “thank you.”

“You’re welcome…”—the man hesitated—“dear.”

“Earth?” she said suddenly. “What...” She was still
too weak to make full sentences.

“Don’t worry. Earth is safe. We saved it. Together.”

He approached her and knelt down, lifting her chin
so she would face him. “Open your eyes… my love.”

“I... I love you too.”

Isn’t that sweet
, thought the man,
my
brother fell for a pathetic Earthling. I can use that.

“I know,” he answered with as sweet a voice as he
could manage. “Open your eyes and look at me.”

She struggled to do as he asked and finally got them
open. It was a mistake.

The man’s eyes glowed bright red and she was blinded
almost instantly. A powerful red beam of light shone so brightly that it seemed
to burn into her very brain. It was like razorblades scraping their way down
into the depths of her mind.

She tried to scream, but a few seconds later, it
came to a sudden stop.

Realization rushed back to her in a flood of chilled
understanding. This was not Chase. She tried to insult the assailant but her
mouth wouldn’t move. The hair stood up on the back of her neck and she tried
again. Nothing. A thin layer of sweat dotted her forehead as she realized with
a stab of horror that she couldn’t move. She couldn’t do anything. She was
paralyzed beyond recovery—staring into the fathomless red eyes of this terrible
man.

“There’s no need to struggle anymore; your body is
mine now,” his voice said in her mind.

“What the hell?” she mentally cursed.

“I call the shots now. See for yourself,” he
answered her.

Sarah’s arm moved and she slapped herself. Hot panic
bubbled up in her stomach.

“I will kill you!” she said in her mind, filled with
rage.

“Somehow I highly doubt that. But you’re welcome to
try.”

Everything in her longed to shriek, cry, tear out
her hair in anguish. Anything to break free of this new kind of prison. But
there was nothing. Her body was no longer her own.

She rose robotically to her feet.

“Let’s go to Hellstar prison,” the man said in her
mind.

“Yes, let’s go,” her voice answered him, beyond her
control.

They walked through a long hallway before reaching a
large, open hangar where she saw a ship that she recognized—the ship that had
captured her. As they stepped aboard, she started screaming at him in her mind.

“Let me out of here! Let me go!”

“There, there,” he mocked. “Hush now.”

“No way! If you invaded my body, be prepared to get
an earful.”

“Suit yourself. It makes no difference to me.”

“We’ll see about that!”

“Feisty things, these humans... You are a combative
race, I’ll grant you that.”

The arrogance in his tone made her blood boil.

“A combative race that’s going to destroy your
precious Obsidian.”

He laughed. “Obsidian? They're just a means to an
end. I have little use for those fools anymore.”

Sarah reflected a little on that. He was so
confident he had already won that he was clearly not thinking carefully. This
bit of information might already prove useful. A rush of determination warmed
her icy limbs. She would not allow herself to be completely helpless. Maybe by
antagonizing him, she could learn more. That is, supposing she would ever
regain the control of her body…

“Tired already?” he asked.

“Oh no, mister. We’re just getting started.”

“Well at least it won’t be a boring trip to
Hellstar.”

So that’s what I said when I was
losing it. Damn, I hope I haven’t endangered Ronan’s or Ryonna’s life. I don’t
think I could forgive myself if anything happened to them. But at least there’s
a bigger chance of me seeing Chase soon.

“Why are we going there?” she inquired casually.

“You know very well why.”

“Well I guess so, but you’re wasting your time if
you think Chase will be there.”

He pursed his lips doubtfully. “Not the vibe I got
from you earlier.”

“I was delirious.”

“Yeah, right.”

“But I’m glad we’re going.” She brightened.
“Ryonna’s going to kick your ass.”

“I’d love to see her try. Don’t forget I control you
now. I could very well use you as a shield or cannon fodder.”

“I’d rather be dead than trapped in here with you.”

“Well, your wish may come true soon enough…”

A chill ran up her spine at the ominous tone to his
words.

“As for this Ryonna,” he continued, “I don’t fear
the Droxians. They’re very predictable. One of my fleets is turning their
worlds to dust as we speak. So you see, the Droxians will soon be history as
well.”

“You bastard!” Sarah screamed.

“There, there now. You’re just insulting your own
boyfriend’s parents.”

“I don’t believe you are Chase’s brother.”

It was true. No matter how much they looked alike,
there was no way that someone so evil could be related to someone as good as
Chase.

“But I am. Soon he will join me, and together we
will destroy your pathetic planet!”

She gave a hard laugh. “Chase would never work with
you. He’ll kill you the first chance he gets.”

The man shook his head with a smile. “He is a Fury
after all. It’s our destiny, to rid this universe of the weaker races.”

“Your destiny? Wow, you should hear yourself!
Alright then, Mr. Fury,” she said, hoping to push him to reveal more
information.

“My name is Argos Thanatos.”

“Finally, I have something to call you beside creep,
coward, or bastard. Though I must admit, I like those just fine.”

He ignored this with a scary calm. “Your attempts at
making me angry are not going to work. But fortunately I have plans for you for
the time being.”

“Yeah? Bring them on. Chase will end you. That is,
unless I do it first.”

“Sure... you can keep thinking that while you enjoy
the show.”

She sneered. “You seem pretty confident. Do you
really believe the Earth Alliance is only made of humans? We have help.”

"I know, the Droxians. But wait, didn’t someone
just say something about wiping them off the face of the universe?” He gave an
evil laugh. “And then, of course, there is the Olympian scum as well.”

He knows about Aphroditis? That
can’t be good. I wonder how much he knows…

“The who?” Sarah asked as innocently as she could
manage.

“Don’t play dumb. My ship detected an Olympian
subspace transmissions signature. I know they are talking with my brother.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Who are
these Olympians?”

“I guess my brother didn’t tell you everything
then.”

She could almost feel his smug smirk.
Bingo
.

“Or you’re making up stories. The name sounds
familiar, though. We had this mythology from a country that used to be called
Greece; the Olympians were their gods.”

“So that’s why they intervened. Earth must be one of
the worlds that was once under their… How do they put it? Ah yes, guidance.”
Argos chuckled. “At least it makes some sort of sense now. They will pay the
price for their crimes. They were strictly forbidden by the older races to
intervene in the matters of the young ones.”

“Young ones?”

“Yes, you know, little cockroaches like you.”

“I’m surprised you know that word. Do you also have
roaches on your planet? You know, other than you?”

“I am in control of your brain,” he explained,
ignoring the last comment. “With each passing moment I gain more knowledge
about your vermin of a race. You are weak, with a lifespan of eighty or so
years. You bicker internally. No wonder the Alliance chose you to enslave.”

“The Alliance and Earth are allies. We are not
enslaved.”

“Be that as it may, I may enslave you myself soon
enough now that I know how easy it is to do so. Or I may just crush you under
my heel, as I would any other pest.”

“I’m feeling a lot of repressed anger. Mommy didn’t
love you as a child?”

Argos growled. “Enough!”

“I must have touched a chord. Not so in control
after all, are you?” She waited for a reply. “Argos? I thought you wanted me to
keep talking?”

He didn’t answer. Good, it meant she was at least
getting to him, at the very least on some level. She needed to keep him as
distracted as possible to keep him out of her mind.

So there are older races. I
wonder if there are still others left in the galaxy besides the Olympians—the
Alliance could use their help.

“So are the Fury a younger race as well?”

“Don’t be absurd. We’re one of the oldest there ever
was.” He corrected himself quickly, “I mean…
is
.”

“I thought you were extinct.”

“You thought wrong.” His voice was noticeably
strained the longer he talked about it.

“Alright, but your world—”

“Is no more, yes…” He paused. “But that’s just a
temporary setback.”

“So there are more of you?”

He growled again. “You ask too many questions.
Sleep
!”

Suddenly, she felt as though a dark veil had thrown
itself over her thoughts. As her mind drifted off to unconsciousness, she was
able to wrap her head around three final words.