Heaven Saga 2: Sands of Aquarius (15 page)

* * *

Mira
stood at the entrance of the main cell. A pair of guards came down the
elevator, flanked by Shiken Ka. He deactivated the barrier. “Come with me
Lieutenant Mira.”

“Why
should I?” she asked.

“Your
Terran friend’s life may depend on you. If he’s wounded, who will treat his wounds?”

“Why
would you care what happens to him?” she asked.

“Before
I kill him there are a few questions I need answered,” he held out his scaled
hand, “I ask you come along so that I may do so.”

“Only
if you promise not to kill him,” Mira said defiantly.

“Very
well young lady, I will do as you request. Now come, we have little time before
my forces pin them down.”

Mira
turned to her fellow Kalaidians. “I’ll be back soon.”

* * *

I
must stay focused.
Brian struggled to keep control as he and Kivi fought. They had battled for
hours with no end in sight.
I must find a way to keep my mind from falling
apart.
He blocked another slash she delivered from an impossible angle near
the ground. He focused and staved the madness.

He
began to chant a song to keep focus; it was Mary Had A Little Lamb. “Mary had a
little lamb; its fleece was white as snow,” Brian sang.
It’s working! Is
this the secret?
He sang that line over and over again, feeling more and
more in control.

“Kivi,
can you hear me?”

She
backed away, exhausted. “Why are we fighting?”

“Kivi,
focus on a song and sing it out.”

She
held back. He heard her sing the same thing he had. As she did so, she started
feeling under control. She backed off and removed her helmet before dropping
her sword. Her eyes glowed blue. She shook her head as the glow faded. Brian
did likewise, removing his helmet and dropping his sword. His eyes returned to
their natural color.

She
fell to her knees, panting and laughing. “So that’s the secret? Singing a song
or repeating a line to keep the mind from wandering.”

He
laughed with her. “I know, I didn’t think that it would work, but it does.”

After
a few minutes of rest they headed to the Mjolnir.                                    

“We’d
better get out of here as soon as we can,” she said. “I have no doubt Shiken Ka
knows our position.”

He
looked to the sky as the pair entered the Mjolnir’s front hatch as a number of
Spits flew overhead. “Yeah, and it looks like they’ve got everything targeted
on us.”

* * *

Mira
stood with her hands clasped next to Shiken on his warship. The vessel glided
over the sand dunes with ease and looked like a floating double pyramid. They
stood on the bridge, with El Kar and a number of other officers. El Kar stood
over an array showing the terrain around them.

“Our
forces are in place on the ground,” El Kar reported. “In addition, our allies
in orbit are ready for bombardment if need be.”

“Good.”
Shiken paused, watching the storm kick up. “Have them commence with a
bombardment immediately.”

“Didn’t
you say you’d let him live?” Mira asked.

“I
will keep my word,” Shiken said. “But first we have to knock him out of the air.
Once the Mjolnir is grounded it won’t be able to escape the sheer number of
soldiers and air support. Your
Maigar
isn’t a fool is he?”

“No,”
Mira answered.

“Things
are not looking good,” Brian said. “Even in orbit there are ships ready to fire
on us.”

Kivi
sighed. “Such a simple strategy that I wish I was on the other end of it.”

He
checked the power levels. “Dammit! All we need are two drive converters to get
us into space!”

“I
suppose you didn’t bring any spares?”

“No,”
he answered. “The Mjolnir’s shielding is supposed to be impregnable.”

“What
if we convert to ship form?”

“We’ll
still be overtaken.”

“Then
what if one of us acted as a decoy again?” she asked.

He
laughed. “There are forty Spits, a small ship on the ground and five ships in
orbit. That’s not counting the ground troops they’ve deployed. All the Mjolnir
has left is the sword and a few HV missiles. On the ground neither of us is
fast enough.”

Kivi
saw the desperation in his eyes. “Why don’t we charge up our armor to full
capacity?”

He
scratched his head. “I’ve never done that before; there’s no telling what may
happen.”

“How
powerful would it be?”

He
checked his armor. “We’re currently charged to twenty five percent. That’s the
level the Degan authorities allow us to have them at. At eighty percent or more
I’m not sure what will happen.”

“How
about using the HDS?” she asked.

“Then
I’ll be the one who gets out.”

“No,
as mission commander I can’t allow that.”

“I’m
sorry Kivi, but you don’t remember one important thing.”

“And
what is that?”

“Your
suit can’t use the HDS right now.”

“I
don’t want to leave you behind!” she shouted before banging her fist.

“I
don’t plan on dying today,” he said solemnly. “Just make it to an outpost
quickly and get the converters. If I play my cards well I’ll evade capture.”

“How
do you plan to do that?”

He
shifted the cape and revealed the folded dragon wings on the armor’s back.
“These aren’t for show.”

* * *

Shiken
stood quietly while watching his forces tightening their search.

“Sir,
we’re picking up a bogey flying away from the Mjolnir’s estimated position,” an
officer reported.

“Can
you identify its mass?” Shiken asked.

“Just
a moment sir.” the officer scanned the bogey a number of times, surprised with
each reading. “Sir, there must be a mistake.”

“What
is it?” El Kar asked as he double checked the console.

“What’s
the issue?” Shiken asked.

“My
lord, the bogey weighs a hundred and twenty five
videns
,” El Kar
answered.

Shiken
turned to Mira. “Tell me, what are the specs on the
Maigar’s
exoskeleton?”

“I
know nothing specific,” she answered.

“Shoot
it down,” Shiken commanded. “This must be a decoy. Have our Spits engage the
bogey. Also move half of our ground troops in that direction. El Kar, call our
allies in orbit. They’re to bombard the Mjolnir with impunity.”

“Yes
my lord.”

* * *

Kivi
shook her head in disbelief. “You’re the smallest aircraft they’ve ever picked
up.”

“I
know. It feels pretty weird to be flying like this. Good luck Kivi, hopefully
we’ll meet up soon.” Brian’s com left range and all Kivi heard was the
Mjolnir’s engine.

“I’m
sorry,” she said.

After
a moment she noticed red flashing inside the cockpit shifted to a blue and
music started playing. A sense of calm filled the air. She glanced at the
monitor and saw a text message.

Don’t
worry Commander, I’m here with you.

She
looked around, confused. The lights flashed again, still keeping the light blue
color. She looked at the monitor and another text message appeared.

My
master is a survivor Kivi. You know that better than anyone.

She
looked around as the colors shift in a pattern with the music. “Did Daes install
an A.I. in the Mjolnir?” she asked out loud. Another message came on the
screen.

Yes
Commander. Although I have little experience now, and I’m unable to speak as of
yet, I’m the A.I. of the Mjolnir.

“Do
you understand the current situation?”

Yes.
I’ve located a supply base nearby that should suffice for repairs. If the
needed, please voice command Auto Golem Activation. That will allow me to act
on my own.

“Does
he know about this?”

Yes.
Although he hasn’t checked in a while, he was the one who put in the command
for independent action. Brian has worked tirelessly to record his memories in
my core systems, so in a way, I am him.

Kivi
laughed. “Are you his back up?”

You
might say that.

* * *

Brian
flew a few hundred feet off the dunes below with his head facing forward and
body flat against the sky. The sound of the exoskeleton’s jets filled the air.
Turning his head he began picking up heat signatures. He aimed straight at one
of the incoming Spits. As the two met in the air he grabbed the left wing. He
saw the pilot inside panicking while trying to shake him off. With a quick draw
of his
rakna
, he activated its heat power and stabbed into the Spit’s
engine. With an effort of both hands, Brian managed to carve the sword out as
the engine started exploding. He jumped off as the Spit swirled to the ground.
He then latched onto another Spit and gutted the engine, forcing the craft from
the sky. As he swirled away a pair opened fire as he successfully dodged their
attacks. He moved to tackle another Spit, but it evaded his attempt. They came
around for another pass and fired. Using everything he had he dodged the blasts
and hooked onto another one. Before he finished destroying the engine the pilot
ejected. Brian turned to look behind him, seeing the other Spit ready to fire.
He leapt off as it was blasted by the last of the four. He took to the air once
more. Checking his radar, he noticed the Spits were fleeing.
I wonder what
their commander has in mind.
Power levels are at seventy five percent.
Everything looks good at the moment.

* * *

The
officer on the Shandi vessel turned to Shiken Ka with a funny look on his face.
“My Lord, it seems that the bogey has destroyed three Spits.”

Shiken
laughed, “Well done Terran.” He turned the officer, “How is it accomplishing
that?”

The
officer shook his head. “It latches onto the Spit and uses a
rakna
to do
the rest.”

Shiken
smiled, “Excellent. I didn’t expect something like this to happen, but
interesting nonetheless. His exoskeleton must surpass that of the
Maigars
of old.” He looked at Mira, “You trained him, didn’t you?”

Mira
nodded, “Yes. He’s the best I’ve ever seen.”

“I
have no doubts about that,” Shiken said as he turned to El Kar. “What about the
Mjolnir?”

“It
seems that the orbital bombardment uncovered nothing my lord.”

“That’s
alright. It’s obvious to me now the Terran wasn’t alone in that craft. He’s
giving them a chance to escape. So let’s claim our prize. Order the bombardment
onto the Terran; let’s see how much his armor can take.”

“But,”
Mira was stopped as Shiken raised his hand.

“Worry
not,” he said. “My plan is to take him alive. If nothing else is gained, I will
see that Terran before me in chains.”

* * *

Brian
hacked away the engine of the fourth Spit. He leapt off the crashing aircraft,
flying away in an attempt to escape. His heat scanners started going crazy. Energy
blasts fell in mass from above with a beam smashing into his back, forcing him
into the sand below. The sand kicked up around his body, filling the air around
the small crater. All around, massive energy pulses smashed into the ground,
kicking up sand and adding to the sand storm already starting. After a few
minutes the barrage stopped. He rolled out from under the dune to take a look
around. He scanned the skies before checking the ground around him. He checked
the power of the exoskeleton.
That’s not good.
The meter read thirty
four percent with flying capabilities gone, heavy shields gone, and everything
else in the red. Scanning the horizon, Brian could make out a number of vessels
rolling towards him.

“You
better have gotten out of here Kivi!” he shouted into the wind as he drew his
sword.

* * *

“It
appears we’ve pinned him down,” El Kar said, pointing to the dot representing
Brian on the radar.

“Good,”
Shiken looked at the sand storm picking up. “Damn. He picked a fine time to try
and escape us.”

“What
are you planning?” Mira asked.

Shiken
turned to El Kar, “I’ll personally command our ground forces. No matter what
the cost I will capture him.”