Universe in Flames 3: Destination Oblivion (6 page)

Here we go
,
thought Chase.

“How so?”

“Well, when I
approached you I knew you must be related somehow.”

“How did you know
that?”

“You kind of look
exactly like him.”

“There’s a
picture of him on that warrant?”

“Perhaps they
used yours. You need to understand that DTs are masters at entering any
security system in the entire universe. If your picture or his was anywhere,
even in a system he thought was secure, DTs probably found it.”

“Or perhaps he
pissed them off on purpose. That wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Why would he get
himself a death warrant?”

“So I can find
him, for one.”

“Alright, let me
get this straight, ’cause I’m starting to get confused here. You want nothing
more than killing him, right?”

“That’s right.”

“And he knows
it?”

“Yeah.”

“And he wants you
to find him? That makes no sense!”

“He needs me for
something. He made that very clear when he saved my life a few months back.”

She took her head
in her hands.

“Oh boy, first he
makes you kill your . . . wife?”

“Not quite yet,
but most likely would have been. I never really asked myself the question, as
we don’t have the same pairing rituals in the Alliance. But seeing couples get
married on Earth, I figured we’d get there one day.”

“Right, and your
unborn child gets killed in the process; and then he saves you?”

“He actually saved
me a few hours before that happened.”

“Okay, I give up.
You two have some real issues, that’s for sure.”

“I’m not gonna argue
that,” said Chase, attempting a smile.

“Where were we?”

“You not being
completely honest.”

“Yeah, right. So
I had his picture, and I ran a search in the local sector and got lucky. Your fighting
pic from the fight pits on Ponos One showed up. I didn’t really know if you
might be this Argos, you know?”

“Alright, I guess
I can’t blame you for not telling me, but it did raise some suspicions on my
part.”

“I kind of
figured as much, which is why I prefer to be straight with you. No more
secrets. If we’re to partner to bring him down, I don’t want you thinking I
could have an ulterior motive. We need to be able to trust each other.”

“Good.”

“Now, are you
going to tell me how you know Argos is or was in the Megara system?”

Chase smiled for
a second, but then his expression saddened as he recalled how he knew they
would most likely be too late.

“What just happened?
Why did your expression change?”

Chase exhaled. “Someone
I know was fighting him. I . . . I’m pretty sure he’s dead by now.”

“How do you know
all this?”

“I heard him say
goodbye in my thoughts.”

“That’s not
creepy at all,” she said, shaking her head. “Can you hear my thoughts?”

“No. Not trying
to, though, and I don’t think I can do it consciously; but I’ve heard others
before.”

“Heavy stuff.”

“Yeah. Argos,
however, seems very skilled at reading people’s minds.”

“You’re not
serious?”

“Totally. He’s
also very good at brainwashing and mind control.”

“Perhaps you were
right; perhaps this warrant is not worth the risk. I mean, the more I hear
about your brother, the more dangerous this whole endeavor sounds.”

“I told you, and it’s
not too late to back down, Keera. But I’d ask that we try to locate Ares first
. . .”

“Who’s Ares?”

“The . . .
The man . . . My old mentor, the person Argos killed.”

“Why did you
hesitate there? What did you want to say instead of ‘man’?”

“God.”

Her eyes widened.
“Excuse me?”

“It’s nothing.”

“No no, let’s
back up a little. Ares is a god?”

“Was. To some,
yes, but that’s not the point.”

“Not the point? That
your brother is strong enough to kill a being that some people worship as a
deity?”

Chase didn’t know
how to get out of the hole he had buried himself in, so he just shrugged.

“Now, about this
god business.”

“Look, let me
stop you right there. They’re not gods; they’re an old race called the
Olympians.”

“WHAT? As in the Gods
of Olympus? That would make Ares the god of war, right?”

“You’ve heard of
them?”

“Only in books. I
like to read.”

Chase raised an
eyebrow.

“Excuse me for
liking to educate myself.”

“I didn’t say
anything.” Chase smiled.

“You made a
face.”

“Alright, I’m
just surprised, that’s all. Not many people are aware of their god status, or
even the existence of the Olympians.”

“You’re shitting
me, right? Everyone who’s read about myths and legends from the last ten
thousand years knows they were instrumental in defeating the Furies! I mean, the
Olympians are badasses, and to think Argos killed one is just scary as shit.”

“Yeah
. . .
about that.”

“I’m almost
afraid to ask. About what?”

“I’m a Fury.”

“You’re what
now?” Her face turned white.

“Probably just
part or a long descendent or
. . .
I don’t really know.”

“How can you
not
know?”

“I don’t have
memories of most of my adulthood; only about the last ten years.”

“Would you mind
pinching me?”

“Why?”

“Just do it,
please.”

Chase pinched her
arm and she let out a little shriek.

“Alright, not
dreaming; but at this point I really needed to be sure.”

“Am I to
understand you’d like us to part ways once I find Ares?”

“And miss out on
meeting Olympians? No way! Since I was a child I’ve read stories and legends,
battles and myths involving them. I mean, part of me thought it was all
bullshit, but if any of what you tell me is true, I want to be part of it more
than I want to cash in the warrant.”

“Really?” Chase was
dubious.

“Okay, perhaps
not
more
; but I really want to be part of this, yeah.”

“I like your enthusiasm.
I just hope it doesn’t get you killed. I don’t think it’s safe for anyone to be
around me.”

“What if Argos is
still in the Megara system?”

“That’s a
possibility. After all, he clearly needs me for something, so perhaps killing
Ares was his way to bait me.”

“That would make
sense, if he needs you and knows you’ll come for him. We should assume it’s a
trap, then?”

Chase nodded and
looked pensive.

“There’s one
thing I don’t understand, though. If you’re a Fury, and Ares was your mentor
. . .”

“Yeah, what about
it?”

“I thought
Olympians and Furies were deadly enemies. I mean that’s what I have read. How
come you two were even talking?”

“I know, but
Aphroditis contacted me. She sees the future or something. I’m not entirely
sure of anything anymore. But she’s persuaded that I’m the key to saving the
universe from the forces of darkness.”

Keera burst into
a laughing frenzy.

“What’s so
funny?”

“I’m sorry, it’s
not so much what you said but how you said it, Chase. You know? I mean, you’re a
nice guy and with all that happened—you saving me from rape a few hours ago
. . . And now you’re casually
telling me that a deity told you that you’re the key to saving the universe.
Boy, do you ever sleep at night?”

“There are more
than enough times when I have trouble, in fact.”

“I bet. I mean,
I’d be scared shitless if someone told me that. How did it not paralyze your
every move? I would have second guessed every one of my actions in your place.”

“I’ve had my
doubts, and some of the decisions I’ve made cost lives
. . . millions of lives.”

Keera’s
expression changed.

“You heard of the
Zarlack and Obsidian attack on planet Earth?”

“Yeah, not long
ago, in fact. Now that the new Earth Alliance is kicking the Zarlacks’ butts, the
Alliance is almost all we hear about on the galactic news broadcasts. It’s
funny, I had never heard of Earth before. But they’re in the news every day or
so now.”

“I saw some of those
bulletins.”

“You were
involved with that?”

“You could say
that.”

Something beeped
and Keera looked at her controls.

“You’ll have to
tell me another time. We’re dropping out of hyperspace.”

“Any habitable
worlds?”

“Scanning
. . . Nope.”

“Can you scan for
signs of technology?”

“Let me
recalibrate the sensors. Wait
. . .
I detect something faint. Could be a misread. Within an asteroid field.”

“Aphroditis told
me they were hiding from Argos, so the asteroid field seems a likely candidate.
Let’s check this out.”

“Adjusting
course.”

*  
*   *

Chase approached
the target destination within his cloaked F-147.

“I’m almost there.”

“What happened? I
saw you leave the cargo bay and then I lost you. Can’t see you on any of my
sensors.”

“I’m cloaked.”

“That’s a neat
trick.”

“Yeah. Please let
me know the moment you detect any other ship’s presence. Stay alert and perform
continuous, long-range scans.”

“Expecting
visitors?”

“I have no idea
what to expect, but we’re not in a position to take on too many adversaries.
The F-147 is a killing machine, but it’s only one lone starfighter.”

“Copy that. I’ll
let you know if anything shows on my instruments.”

“Thanks, Keera,
see you soon.”

“Chase?”

“I’m listening?”

“Be careful,
okay?”

“No promises,”
answered Chase before turning off the comms.

As he approached
the asteroid, his instruments registered more signs of technology.
This is
the place,
he thought. In fact, he could feel it in his bones. He didn’t
need any instruments. He felt drawn to the place.

Soon he detected
a small entrance within the floating rock, one of the biggest asteroids in the
field. He maneuvered his craft and scanned for force fields or shields. There
was an artificial force field, but nothing preventing entry, so he de-cloaked
and landed in what looked like a cargo bay.

He stepped out of
his ship and started walking. Soon he arrived at a brightly lit, pristine,
white corridor that went both ways, but he knew to take the left. It was a
weird sensation, knowing instinctively where to go.

Near the end of
the corridor there was some damage to the walls: a panel ripped out of the wall
with some cables dangling, and traces of blood. An arm lay on the ground. A
battle had taken place here. He proceeded cautiously.

He stepped through
a destroyed entrance, with lots of debris and rubble, into a big room. A body lay
in the corner.
Ares!
A dark pit grew within his guts. He took a few steps
towards Ares’ motionless body. He was missing an arm and there was a large hole
in his rib cage. Chase swallowed hard. He knelt beside the body. Ares was dead
alright, for a few hours at least. His body was cold and all color had drained from
his skin.

“I’m sorry, Ares.
I
. . . I never
wanted this to happen.”

“I know,” he
heard.

A jolt ran
through Chase’s body. He jumped to his feet and spun around, instinctively adopting
a defensive fighting stance.

“Who’s there?”

A golden light appeared
a few feet away from him, first as a sphere, but it soon took on human shape. Although
the energy entity had no face, he knew it was Ares.

“I thought you
were dead?”

“I am, Chase.”

“Doesn’t really
seem like it at the moment.”

“My physical body
died. This is all that’s left of me.”

“I see
. . .”

“I can sense you
have questions.”

“Yeah. If you can
sense it, why don’t you explain it?”

“When Olympians
die—the physical death—our energy is transformed into this form. We become
beings of pure energy and thought. Humans call it a soul, but it’s an
inaccurate description.”