Heaven Saga 2: Sands of Aquarius (30 page)

“Dammit,”
Brian uttered as the situation unfolded. “If I don’t blow this thing Valis and
the fleet will get attacked from both sides.” He pointed the
rakna
of
the Mjolnir forward to find where the pulse blasts were coming from. Timing his
attack as best he could, Brian moved the Mjolnir forward and charged, using the
ice walls around him to find where the blasts were coming from.
Got it!
He thought to himself. Diving to the side and rolling the mobile suit he came
up with an arcing slash of the blade, destroying the first pulse cannon. He
repeated the process until each of the weapons pinning him down was destroyed. He
turned the Mjolnir and backed up as much as he could before flying straight at
the core’s defensive barrier. The Mjolnir’s systems nearly overloaded before
the shield finally gave out, letting the mobile suit lunge forward blade first
into the spinning metal core. Twisting the blade, the Mjolnir finally cut
through the device, causing the top to fall in a shuddering blast into the
floor.
I’d better get the hell out of here.
He thought while backing up
the mobile suit and flew as fast as he could to the surface. Below, the core
began shaking uncontrollably and exploded. On the surface the shielding system
went down as all of the power structures within the base gave way to the
shattering ground below. The sound of scraping metal filled the air as the
complex caved in from the explosions below, causing the whole base to fall into
a crater of ice and rock. Watching the carnage from the air, Brian marveled at
what had just transpired. He turned the Mjolnir to ship form and flew back to the
Avoni.

* * *

The
Avoni shook while being bombarded by a pair of Ick-Tckt vessels. They returned
fire and destroyed one of the ships while Seles, in her Zero, blasted a hole
through the other. Both enemy ships exploded a moment later.

“Our
sensors are detecting a large energy build up behind the fleet,” Zae reported.

“That
means the base has fallen,” Kivi said. She sighed with relief. As she sat back
in her chair the enemy fleet began pulling away.

“I
don’t think so,” Valis said. “Zae, tell the fleet to pursue. With any luck
we’ll crush them before they can escape.”

“Of
course,” Zae answered before sending out the command. As she did so the Mjolnir
flew past the Avoni in ship form before changing back to mobile suit form. It
took a position next to Seles’s Zero.

“Sorry
that took so long,” Brian said over the com. “The Ick-Tckt fortified their base
with some pulse cannons and shields we didn’t anticipate.”

“Everything’s
alright,” Valis said. “You’re to stay with the Avoni. Let Seles and the Novas
take care of the enemies.”

“Understood,”
Brian said. He hovered close to the Avoni while Seles and the Novas flew into
enemy ranks, blasting with impunity. As the Ick-Tckt fleet pulled away the
Shandi forces awaiting them opened fire, devastating their fleet. The
Kalaidians came in from behind to pincer the Ick-Tckt fleet.

Veda
stared out her opulent bedroom’s window and gazed at the blue morning sky of
Dega Jul. A buzz came from her door as her estate’s commander entered the room.
She turned about, noticing the rushed look on her commander’s face.

“Lady
Veda, our forward scouts have detected a fleet of Ick-Tckt and Malcovin vessels
headed for orbit above us. In addition, they’re deploying their Drones, Claws,
and Talons on the surface.”

“That
they would openly attack us amazes me,” Veda said, thinking about what to do
next. “Our main space force is at Dega Five right now and they won’t be able to
gravity jump for another twelve standard hours.” She looked up at her commander.
“Deploy the estate’s shielding system.”

“Are
you sure my Lady?” her commander asked. “It hasn’t been tested.”

“If
we don’t use it our home will be flattened before our forces can get back to
us.” Veda turned and looked at the sky. She turned back to her commander.
“Also, put me in contact with Commander El Kar.”

“Yes
my Lady,” her commander said. She saluted as she left.

Veda
strolled back into her room and took a bottle of wine. She poured herself a
glass as well as a second glass. She sat down at her table in the center of the
room and placed one glass on the other side of the table while sipping from the
other.

“What
would you do brother?” Veda asked while looking at the blank seat. “These are
the times when I miss you the most Gaelic. You were a master tactician and
inspired some of the greatest victories over the Malcovin during the first war
with their race.” She smiled before drinking more wine. “It seems like those
times were the best. Now everything feels empty. My dear Valis has put all her
hopes and dreams into that Terran. I can’t tell if she’s just young, a fool, or
maybe both? Or maybe, she’s right? I wish I knew what to do next. With the
advent of the republic you so wished for back home, our ways as a people are
changing.” She glanced out the window while leaning back in her seat. “Have the
years twisted my heart? Like they did to her?” She found a picture with
Gaelic’s image replaced by an outline. Next to it stood a very young Delne
Raekar with Veda behind them. “Hopefully in death you found each other, unlike
in life.” Putting the picture down, she grabbed another, this one much more
recent, with Valis and Brian standing together. Veda stood on Brian’s opposite
side. “Are you really the one my brother predicted would appear?”

“Yes,
he is,”
a voice spoke to Veda telepathically. She spun about, confused. Then her eyes
set on the one sitting in the formerly empty chair, donned in a long grey
cloak.

“It’s
been a long time General Myden,” Veda said. “You’re free to drink if you wish.”

Myden
grasped the wine glass and sniffed it.
“Smells wonderful, but you know
alcohol and telepaths don’t go together,”
he said telepathically while
placing the glass back onto the table.

“It’s
been over a century since I last saw you. How’s Celestia?” she asked.

“She’s
doing well,” he said out loud in a raspy voice. “I can sense you have doubts
about Brian. I’ve come here to tell you they’re not needed Lady Veda.”

* * *

Brian
came to the bridge with Seles. Valis and the others on the bridge received a
message from Dega Jul.

“It
appears that the Duchess has decided to attack my family’s estate,” Valis said.

“You
predicted that would happen,” Zae said.

“Our
fleet will be unable to gravity jump for at least twelve hours captain,” Daes
said as she looked up from her station.

“The
Mjolnir came make the jump,” Brian suggested.

Valis
waved his idea off. “No, you need to rest. Both you and Seles are exhausted.”

“Of
course,” he answered.

“Is
the Phase Rakna capable of making a jump?” Seles asked.

“Yes,”
Daes answered. “But it burns off sixty hours of flight time each time you do it.”

“I
have some ideas on how we’ll proceed once the main fleet can gravity jump,”
Valis said. “I planned to send Brian and Seles ahead via their mobile suits.
Your machines are capable of creating immense damage to the enemy fleet. The
rest of us will follow you shortly after. But please, get some rest.”

“Yes
captain,” Brian and Seles answered.

* * *

“You
say I should trust him, why?” Veda asked.

“He
has begun to awaken,” Myden said. “It’s only a matter of time before the Confederation
makes a decision on his fate, but they can’t stop what he’s begun.”

“What
do you mean by awakened?”

“All
living things change over time, a process many species call evolution,” Myden
explained. “Brian, while still human, has begun the process of changing. He’s
touched the database and the Teacher’s left to him all of the knowledge he’d
accumulated. Brian’s very young, but in due time he’ll realize the truth of
what’s happening.”

“And
what if he awakens?” she asked. “Will he become even more superior when
compared to us?”

“No,
you’re thinking too physically. What I’m saying is that he’s realizing the
physical world is only half of the story. I came here today to warn you that
soon he’ll deliver the message the Teacher passed onto him.”

“What
message is that?”

“I
can’t say for sure,” Myden said. “The path he’s embarking on is the path many
great men and women have tried throughout history. The path he seeks is not
war, like many would assume because of his heritage. No, Brian questions, he
questions too much for his own good. What he seeks is peace. This path will
lead to his destruction. He’ll leave the rest of us to either reject the vision
put forth or to pick up the pieces and move forward.”

“What
are you getting at?” Veda asked. She looked completely lost.

“Let
me ask you a question.”

“Go
ahead.”

“What
options are there if one wished to unify the Confederation?” he asked.

“An
outside threat would be the most effective,” she answered.

“Like
my people, they would do the job?”

“Yes,
the Greys are a major threat to all Confederation member races,” Veda answered.

“Saying
that, if properly strengthened, my people would crush the Confederation long
before their unity did any good,” Myden countered.

“What
other option would you suggest?” Veda asked.

“Unification
can be sought through war, trade, etc. But the most effective seems the least
worth trying,” Myden said.

“I
don’t understand,” Veda answered

“The
word you just used Veda, understand. Understanding one another is the key to
unification. Once the younger races understand their similarities outweigh
their differences things will begin to change. As an outsider Brian understands
this need more than any of you.”

“Why
would that be?” she asked.

“From
the world he comes from Terrans are far from unified. Each member race of the
Confederation is more or less unified, but it generally stops along those
lines. But you’ve witnessed a change, that being between the Kalaidian people
and the Shandi. He succeeded in unifying the will of two races that have warred
for a century, two races with hatred running quite deep between them.” Myden
paused, seeing the look on Veda’s face change. “How was it he was able to do
so?”

“By
gaining Shiken Ka’s trust, he built the bridge you speak of,” Veda answered.

“Brian’s
able to bridge the gaps because he’s an outsider. He sees past the form and
sees what lies beneath. Some would call it the mind, the soul, etc. Whatever it
is, he’s able to see through the shell we call body and find what’s contained
within. What Brian found in Shiken Ka is that while the Shandi are very
different physically, the differences of the mind are much less.”

“But
each race is very different in their beliefs. The Shandi are atheists, whereas
the people of Kalaidian are deeply religious. Are those differences not greater
than you suppose?” Veda countered.

“A
body is a shell, but the mind is a mind. Telepaths like me cannot see what
others look like by their thoughts alone. But inside every sentient being lies
something in common Lady Veda.”

“And
what would that be?” Veda asked.

“Peace,
prosperity, and safety. Only the truly mad crave war and conflict.” As Myden
spoke the barrier shield outside activated. A second afterwards the orbital
bombardment began as rays of light fell from the sky like rain. Veda stood up
to put on her battle uniform and checked her
raiga
whip.

“Remember
what I’ve told you Lady Veda. Brian is the Warrior who’ll lead your people into
the future. Even if he falls the Five Maidens have begun to awaken themselves.
The future lies in the ones you’ve watched grow my lady. Trust in them,”
Myden said as
he faded into the shadows.

“This
is really nice,” Seles said while relaxing in the hot waters of the Avoni’s
communal bath. Around her were a number of crew members. Sitting next to her
was Celi and Mira.

“You
look really tense,” Celi said as she looked at Seles. “Is the mobile suit
taking a toll?”

“Not
really,” Seles answered. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relaxation.

“It
has to do with how many battles we’ve been in the last two days,” Mira said.

“You
got it,” Seles said. She opened her eyes and stared at the white ceiling.
“While the pilot suit is perfect for use in a mobile suit I was thinking of
asking Daes if she could design me an exoskeleton like Brian’s and Kivi’s.”

“I
think all of us would like to have one of those,” Mira said. “The power it
gives to them is amazing.”