Heaven Saga 2: Sands of Aquarius (18 page)

He
glanced at Mira, who was getting more aggressive. She glowed in the dim lights.

“Brian,”
she said before kissing him gently. “I want to be with you. Since the day you
saved me, I meant to give something back. But I wasn’t sure what.”

He
rubbed behind her ear, seeing her quiver with pleasure. “Let’s just live in the
moment.”

“I’m
all for that,” she said.

* * *

Kivi
entered the cargo bay where the Mjolnir stood. Next to it stood the slightly
smaller and leaner Phase Rakna. Daes and Jesela were finalizing the computer
systems. Seles stood outside the cockpit and took the elevator cord down to
meet with Kivi.

“It
looks like it’s nearing completion,” Kivi said.

“It
should be ready by the time Brian returns to us,” Daes said. “We’ll be starting
construction on more after we’ve tested the Zero’s systems.”

Valis
walked into the room and stood with her senior officers. “It looks like that
gamble I took is paying off.”

“It
certainly is,” said Kivi.

“What
gamble?” Seles asked.

“The
gamble was letting that troublesome Terran onboard,” Valis said with a smile.
“He’s costing me a lot of money at the moment.”

“Did
you finalize the deal with Shiken Ka?” Kivi asked.

“Yes,”
Valis turned to Daes, “Will this be ready by tomorrow?”

“I
was hoping to test the systems first, but yes, it will be complete,” said Daes.

“Good,”
Valis said as she touched the mobile suit.

“Is
something wrong?” Seles asked.

“Yes,”
Valis answered. “Our scouts have overheard talk amongst the Ick-Tckt allies of
Shiken Ka, and it looks bad.”

“Because
Shiken is willing to negotiate with you and made a deal he’s considered
expendable,” Kivi said.

“What?”
Seles asked.

“It
means by this time tomorrow the ships we fled from will be attacking the
complex we failed to penetrate,” Valis explained. “And unfortunately for Shiken
Ka, he doesn’t have much fire power other than that great shielding system.”

“What’s
your plan?” Kivi asked.

“It’ll
take us a few days to reach them so I’m banking on them holding out. I still
have to work a plan out, but I’ve secured the help of the three ships that
joined us last time. In return, I am to give them each a prototype Phase
Rakna.” Valis stared at the mobile suit.  “Seles, this one’s yours.”

* * *

Mira
awoke the next morning covered in a thin sheet with her clothes tossed off to
the side. She turned to see a sleeping Brian.
Did I? Did we? What the hell?
Why did I act like that?
She threw her clothes on as quickly as possible,
noting he still had his eyes closed. She went over to the glasses and noticed
something still at the bottom. Taking out her scanner she made a chemical
analysis.

“You
do know I’m awake,” he said before opening his eyes and grabbing his clothes.

“What
happened?”

“Exactly
what you think happened,” he answered as he put on his clothes. The scars of his
night with Delne still showed.

Tears
came to her eyes before she ran over and hugged him. “You’ve suffered so much
and I’ve been so cold.”

“It’s
alright,” he said.

“No,
you haven’t spoken to anyone about the
Kai
. Not even Seles has heard
anything about the pain you suffered.”

“I’m
not supposed to appear weak. That’s the price I pay for being born human.”

She
squeezed his hand. “Tell me,” she said while looking into his glazed over eyes.

“Alright,”
he said. “I’ll tell you everything.”

“I
don’t mean to interrupt your conversation, but I must speak with you Brian,”
Shiken said as he entered the cell.

Both
Brian and Mira stood up.

“I
wish to speak with him alone,” Shiken said as he turned to Mira.

She
hesitated and waited for Brian to nod his head. “Okay,” she said before walking
out the door.

“You
planned all this, didn’t you?”

Shiken
smiled, “Of course. I’ve found it’s easier to get information from one who
laughs with joy.”

“What
is it you’ve been trying to get at?” Brian narrowed his eyes. “There’s
something you know you’re not letting on to and it’s bothering me.”

“Then
let me get straight to the point,” Shiken said as he pulled out a small device
and pressed a button. A moment later an image of the statue appeared before
Brian. “Can you tell me about this?”

He
stared at the hologram. “Where is this from?”

“My
homeworld,” Shiken answered. “I found this when I was but a youth, nearly fifty
years ago.”

“What?
I wasn’t even born yet! How is this possible?”

“The
statue is about two thousand years old.” Shiken pointed at the hologram. “The
detail is perfect, right down to your actual height and weight, including your
armor.”

Brian
laughed at this absurdity. “There’s no way that could’ve been built that long
ago.”

“But
it was,” Shiken said calmly. He turned off the hologram. “It’s written by the
ancients and on the statue that when the Great Twilight comes the Knight of
Aquarius will appear. As said by the Teacher long ago. Most of this knowledge
was lost when my great grandfather lead the people to freedom from the
priesthood. Only a small number of my people know the teachings of the
ancients. It was written that the Knight was to open the door to paradise, but
how is unknown.”

He
stood in shock for a moment before looking Shiken in the eye again, “I have to
see this statue in person.”

Shiken
nodded, “I will do as I can young Terran.” He knocked on the door. “I’ll be
back shortly to give you an answer.”

“Thank
you.”

As
he left Mira stepped back inside. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ll
tell you everything later when we’re with the others.”

“Okay.”
As Mira answered a series of explosions came from above, shaking the ground and
walls. The two were driven to the ground, with him landing on the bottom. After
a moment the shaking stopped and the lights came back on.

“What
was that?” she asked.

“Orbital
bombardment,” Brian said as he stared at the ceiling.

* * *

Shiken
caught himself as the blasts hit from space at the same time his guards fell to
the ground. He braced himself before turning to his soldiers. “Take up
defensive positions!”

He
made his way to the command chamber a few floors up and saw El Kar and a number
of soldiers activate the defensive shields.

“What
happened?” Shiken asked with anger in his voice.

El
Kar turned to him, “It’s the ships in orbit.”

He
saw a number of damaged pyramids outside as he gazed at the dead soldiers.

“Such
cowardly behavior!” he shouted as he banged his fist on a stone desk. He turned
to his soldiers. “Did we receive any messages from them?”

“No
my lord,” all said in unison.

El
Kar saw a message come through. “They’ve sent us a message.”

“Let
me see it.” Shiken scowled as he read the message.
By order of the Duchess,
you’re to turn over the captured Terran, Brian Peterson. If this is not met
within the hour we will destroy your base.
He took a deep breath and closed
his eyes. He turned to El Kar and his soldiers. “Ready the base for a siege.
Call our soldiers at the other bases of this planet. Reroute all available
power to the shields.”

* * *

Brian
and Mira stood and noticed the door had popped open. He motioned he would go
first and went outside. There, he saw the guard outside was crushed by fallen
rocks. He turned to Mira as she readied her med kit. She scanned the Shandi
soldier.

“He’s
still alive,” she said as she looked up. “Please take the stone off of him.”

Brian
nodded and lifted the stone before tossing it aside. “I’ll check the rest of
this level.”

“Alright,”
Mira responded as she pushed her regenerator to full power.

He
walked for several
vetres
before finding a split north and south. He
noticed a number of the guards were unconscious before a few Kalaidians came to
him.

“What’s
going on?” ensign Myli asked as he met them.

He
turned to the crowd gathering in the hallway. “I don’t have the details on the
situation. But from the explosions coming from above it’s obvious we’re being
bombarded from orbit.”

“Is
it Captain Valis?” Myli asked.

“I
doubt it,” Brian answered. “She already agreed to pay our ransom.” He looked at
the others, “We’re to be returned within the next few days.”

One
of the Kalaidians moved to take an unconscious guard’s pulse rifle.

“Don’t
take their weapons,” Brian ordered. “If we make the wrong move right now Shiken
Ka will be forced to kill us.” He heard a groan come from a Shandi pinned under
some rubble. He went over and moved the rocks out of the way. “Are you
alright?” Brian asked as he reached out with his hand.

“Why
are you helping me?” the soldier asked.

Brian
nodded, “As of now, we’re not enemies. Even if we were, I’d prefer you didn’t
die under a pile of rocks.”

The
Shandi took Brian’s hand and was dragged from the stones. Brian turned to the
Kalaidians as they stood in shock. “Don’t just stand there ladies, help them
out.”

* * *

The
young Shandi Brian had saved watched the Terran work unceasingly to save his
comrades, not sure what to think. Meanwhile, Brian and Mira led the saving of
lives, unnerving Kalaidians and Shandi alike. After a while Shiken Ka came down
the hallway flanked by a contingent of guards. He looked to the young soldier.
“Have they treated you well?”

“Yes
my lord,” the young snakeman said while holding his hand over his heart.

“Good.”
Shiken saw Brian and Mira working on one of his men. “Brian I must speak with
you.”

Brian
nodded to Mira.

“Don’t
worry; I’ll be able to take care of this,” she said.

Brian
nodded and turned to Shiken. “What can I do for you?”

“Why
do you save the lives of those who imprison you?”

“Your
people feel pain, do they not? When one of them dies someone mourns for them.
Above all things I value life. It should not matter if they be of mammalian
origin, or insectoid, or reptilian. At this moment we’re not enemies. I’m at
your mercy and so are my subordinates,” Brian paused as a serious round of
bombardment from orbit hit the shields, “Anyways, I don’t really have much of a
choice, now do I?”

Shiken
took Brian’s
rakna
blade from a soldier standing behind him and tossed
it to the Terran. “If you really are the Knight of Aquarius then prove it,”
Shiken said as he turned to leave.

Brian
looked at Mira, “Take care of things here.” He looked at the others, “Remember
this moment ladies.” Each stared at him, nodding one by one to acknowledge him.
He turned and hurried to catch up to Shiken Ka, “I’m going to need my armor.”

Shiken
smiled, “Of course, my men are charging it up as we speak.” Brian joined them on
the elevator, leading up to the armory.

“So
what’s the plan?”

“I’m
not sure yet,” Shiken said. “I was thinking you could add to the plan.” The
other Shandi watched with a mix of anger and awe in their eyes.

* * *

Brian
donned his armor and placed the sword in its sheath. Closing his eyes, he
focused his energy and drew the blade with lightning speed and performed a
series of slashes.

“Are
you ready?” Shiken asked.

“Anytime,”
Brian said.

“Good,”
Shiken said. “I’m expecting no less than a victory because of what you did
against my men.”

The
Ick-Tckt ground forces marched from all directions around the Shandi base. Most
of it was concentrated in the south where the shield generators were most
numerous. The shield deflected blasts from space with ease. Emerging from an
area near the edge of the shield walked a lone figure clad in dragon motif
armor with his helmet on and sword in hand.

“Is
everything in place?” Brian asked over his com.

“Everything’s
ready,” Mira responded. She was stationed with the Shandi back in the command
tower.