Van Laven Chronicles (35 page)

“They’ll provide the coordinates for the exchange, we’ll meet there in fifteen minutes.”

They all breathed a collective sigh of relief when they realized what Crausin had done. He’d bought Vaush the time she needed to escape to Novoxos all the while maintaining their innocence in the matter.

“Awaiting coordinates, Sire,” Brigune said.

“Coming right up.” Yaeger turned to the com station and tapped in the fictitious coordinates.

“We have the coordinates.”

“Very good,” Crausin glanced at his wrist chronometer. “Meet us there at 1900 hours.”

“We’ll be there, Sire.”

Yaeger cut the link and smirked. “Thanks to you, Lady Vaush should be safely on her way to Novoxos any second now.”

Crausin snorted. “She’s escaped the fire only to leap into an inferno. She’ll never make Novoxos.”

“Oh, you’re referring to the gathering attack force in the Prienek sector,” Yaeger said offhandedly. “We’re prepared for what awaits us there.”

Crausin folded his arms across his chest. “Perhaps you overestimate your chances.”

“Twenty of us descended and rescued the Lady Vaush from the combined forces of Thalonius, Recaban and Nethic. You ever stop to think that maybe you’re underestimating us?”

“Don’t get cocky, Yaeger,” Comron said defensively. “I’m the one who kept her hidden away for safekeeping. Where were you when the Sorrel fighters took down our ship or when we nearly froze to death? Where were you when we fought off Recaban and the Nethicaen forces? Not to mention—”

“Gentlemen, gentlemen,” DeOrchis piped up, “Whip ‘em out later, but for right now we’ve got a bigger problem. We don’t have a ship to take us off this rock and when the Nethicaens figure out our little ruse here…well they’re not going to be happy.”

“It was no ruse,” Crausin said and looked at Comron. “I’ve gone as far as I’ll go. We’re going to meet General Brigune at those coordinates and then I’m leaving with them.”

The disappointment Comron felt over Crausin’s words left him dismayed. He’d hoped against all odds that their relationship had taken a new turn. “Crausin, why?”

“Because Thalonius is watching and in order to save Nethic, we can’t appear to be co-conspirators.”

“I’m not going back, I have to see this thing through.”

“Yes, I know that now. But we’ve got to hedge our bets here. One of us has to stay behind to protect Nethic.” He looked at Yaeger. “Just tell them that you don’t trust us and that you’re going to continue to hold one of us as hostage until you’re safely underway.”

Yaeger nodded. “Sounds plausible.”

“I’m done trying to convince you of the folly of this course, but I still pray you come home safely.”

Something ugly flashed before Comron and he knew Crausin would never surrender so easily. What did he really have in store? Once in control of a planetary battleship, did he plan to turn the guns on this tank and insist Comron leave with him?

Disheartened by the prospect, Comron came up with a new plan. “DeOrchis is correct, we need a ship. I suggest we take one of theirs.”

Yaeger raised a brow, his curiosity clearly piqued. “I’m listening.”

“The only way to get them to drop their guard is to make them believe that we’ve turned the tables on you and now you’re our prisoners.”

“No,” Yaeger adamantly objected, “We cannot risk being captured, they’ll use us to find Vaush.”

“So we don’t give them the opportunity, we’ll strike fast.”

Yaeger shook his head. “We don’t know the ships layout or complement, there’s too many variables and unknowns.” He hitched a thumb at DeOrchis, “We’re good, but not that good.”

“But I know all that information. If we take over the bridge, we take over the ship.”

“Once again,” he said impatiently, “if I had my whole team—”

“The three of us can do this!”

Yaeger cast a disparaging look at Comron. “With all due respect, my lord…I hardly think you—”

In a blur of motion, Comron dashed behind Yaeger, relieved him of his side arm, dropped him to his knees, and secured him about the neck.

“Now,” Comron said, pressing the muzzle of the blaster to his head, “you were saying?”

“
Damn
,” DeOrchis said as if duly impressed, recognizing this as a mere display of Lord Comron’s abilities.

“All right.” Yaeger said, tapping Comron’s arm. “You made your point.”

Immediately, Comron released him, flipped the blaster around and handed it back to Yaeger.

The captain sprang to his feet and leveled his weapon at Comron’s head. DeOrchis watched as the two men stood toe to toe, neither one flinching or backing down.

“Two things,” Yaeger said in a deadly tone. “First, we’ll try your plan, because we need a ship to get the hell of this frozen dirt pile. And second, if you
ever
pull some shite like that again,” his gray eyes narrowed, “I will end you.”

Despite taking him only just seconds earlier, Comron discerned that repeating the task wouldn’t be nearly so easy. Furthermore, finding common ground was far more productive than continuing the pissing match. “I think we understand each other, captain.”

Recalling himself and the mission, Yaeger holstered his blaster. “Don’t just stand there gawking, DeOrchis. See if you can get some tactical readings on the ship. Van Laven, tell me everything you know.”

CHAPTER 64

“So you’re planning to kidnap me?” Crausin said.

“Turnabout is fair-play,” Comron retorted. Let Crausin think what he liked, they needed a ship and he couldn’t afford to leave Crausin on his own. His abandonment issues aside, leaving him to self-destruct was not an option.

“So you officially don’t give a damn about Nethic,” Crausin snapped.

“To the contrary, I intend to make Nethic the financial capital of the Sellusion Empire, our first client – Empress Vaush Hrollaugr.”

“You’re out of your bleeding mind, Comron. It’s never going to happen and Nethic will pay the price for your unmitigated gall.”

“Ach!” Yaeger exclaimed, “Could we focus on the task at hand? We’ll reach the rendezvous point in under a minute. Is he going to be a problem?”

“No,” Comron said adamantly, staring Crausin down. “We’re going to proceed with the plan and he’s not going to foul it up because he knows it would lead to the complete ruin of Nethic.”
If you betray me, if you botch this operation, I will NEVER return to Nethic.

“Are you on board – your Highness,” Yaeger said, glancing back at Crausin.

Crausin’s eyes remained fixed upon Comron. “On board and strapped in tight.”

“Then we’re a go. But if you try anything cute, I’ll put a hole the size of Draken Four through your aristocratic skull.”

“I’ll bear that in mind,” Crausin said through tight lips.

“There’s the transport up ahead,” DeOrchis announced from the ops station. “Time to move into place.” He reached into a duffle bag and retrieved two sets of handcuffs. “Break-away cuffs, just in case they screw us on this.” He glanced at Crausin. “No offense, just being cautious.”

“You’ll need to lose all that expensive body armor too,” Comron said, “They’ll never believe you don’t have a thousand weapons tucked away in there.”

DeOrchis brought the tank to a full stop about fifty meters south of the Nethicaen transport waiting to take them to the Valiant. Yaeger and DeOrchis rose and began decoupling their body armor. Once stripped down to light-weave body suits, they allowed Comron to bind their hands before them.

“This had better work, Van Laven,” Yaeger said.

“Look, I need you alive to take me to Vaush,” Comron said. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you before that.” He turned to Crausin and back-handed him hard.

“What the hell!” Crausin exclaimed, holding the side of his face.

“We need to make it look as if there was some sort of struggle,” Comron replied and pointed to his rapidly healing bruised face. “You gave me mine earlier today, remember?” He hefted DeOrchis’s blast rifle into Crausin’s arm and took up Yaeger’s. “You lead, our prisoners will follow. I’ll bring up the rear. Just stick to the script, Crausin.”
Our future depends on this.

Crausin’s gaze lingered on him a moment longer before he hit the control panel. The heavy door lifted out of the way and the short ramp extended to the frozen ground. Across the distance, General Brigune waited with a squad of twenty soldiers. It took them only a few seconds to discern the pleasant turn of events and soon, they were moving to close the distance to apprehend the prisoners.

“Your Grace,” General Brigune said, his eyes never leaving the prisoners. “This is most unexpected.”

“Take them to the brig,” Crausin said to General Brigune. “Then we’ll hand them over to Thalonius for questioning.”

“Yes, Sire,” Brigune motioned for his men to fall into formation around Yaeger and DeOrchis. They all marched across the distance and entered the transport. During the short trip back to the orbiting Valiant, Comron never took his eyes off Crausin. The residual ambivalence he felt in him left him uneasy.

I won’t ever forget the loyalty you’ve shown me here. I will do the same in return, I swear it.
He reassured Crausin reminding him what there was to be gained and what there was to be lost.

When they docked in the Valiant without incident, Comron breathed a small sigh of relief. It had been a couple of years since Comron had been aboard a midrange battleship. Even then it was only to christen the newly commissioned fleet. Fortunately, it was much as he had remembered it.

As they made their way down, Comron virtually vibrated from the Essence coursing through his system. His head throbbed as the pressure to act built. His gaze fell to Crausin who walked ahead alongside Brigune. From the set of his shoulders he knew Crausin had come to a resolve but which side he fell on remained a mystery.

They neared the final passage before the brig. The pneumatic doors opened, letting them enter. Immediately Comron saw the display of weaponry on the walls, just as he had described to Yaeger. He glanced back at Yaeger who blinked once in acknowledgement. When Comron turned back, he felt the sudden surge of emotion rise in Crausin and knew he couldn’t afford to wait to see which side Crausin had chosen.

He shoved Crausin out of the way, then chopped the commander in the neck, dropping him instantly. Before anyone could react, he grabbed one of the spurs off the wall and hurled it at the door control, locking it shut. Havoc erupted as the guards realized that they were being ambushed. Comron’s fist connected with the head of the forward guard while his boot simultaneously landed in the gut of the other, hitting both so hard they flew into the walls.

Free of their cuffs, Yaeger and DeOrchis wasted no time, turning their bodies into highly efficient lethal weapons. When Comron caught one of the guards drawing his rifle, he launched into the air, his foot landing square in the guard’s chest, crushing it. Before he landed, he twisted, kicking another guard clean in the neck. He pulled two long jagged blades off the wall and made quick work of the remaining guards before they could fire a single warning to alert the rest of the crew.

In under thirty seconds, the four men were the only ones left standing. Yaeger and DeOrchis stared wide-eyed at Comron, astonished at what they had witnessed. But there would be time for questions later; right now they had to stay focused on the business at hand.

“Which way to the bridge, Your Deadliness?” Yaeger said, glancing at the bloody swords in Comron’s hands. “Your own men too.”

“It’s what will happen to anyone who tries to stand between me and Vaush,” he said pointedly at Yaeger, then glanced at Crausin in the corner. “Let’s go take the ship.”

CHAPTER 65

The armed guards escorted Vaush down the corridors of the old battle cruiser named The Emperor’s Majesty. She couldn't help but notice the imperial insignia and red lion sigil that she saw in various places along the way. Yet the insignia seemed to be outdated, as if this ship was an older model from the imperial fleet. Were the ships stolen from the shipyards or purchased as mementos?

Her head swam with questions. Who would risk coming to their aid? What could they possibly have to gain? Whose political agenda were they serving and what would they ask of her in return?

They finally came to a halt before double doors. Lepkin tapped a door signal and a voice came over the intercom.

“State your business.”

“It's Lepkin. The Honored Lady of Ti-Laros is here to see you.”

The doors immediately parted and the two guards inside beckoned them forward. Vaush steeled her nerves and entered the room. In the center of the room was a long oblong table and standing at the other end of it in the dim lights was a uniformed man with his back to her as he gazed out at the stars through the large window. Vaush stood in silence until he slowly turned around to face his audience.

The first thing Vaush noticed was that he was dressed in a military uniform dating back to the same age as the vessel—that of a high-ranking official – one of the legendary General’s Elite to be exact. He was an older gentleman, though there was a distinct air of vitality in his stance. In his pensive, dark brown eyes, she saw something vaguely familiar, though for the life of her, she could not place it. His complexion was dark, like her adoptive father Larrs. He had a tall slender frame, and she imagined that in his younger days he had been a handsome man. The way the soldiers stood at attention told her that he commanded a great deal of respect and obedience.

"So, you are Vaush Bastionli, rightful Ruler of the Sellusion Empire," he said beaming with pride and admiration, leaving Vaush more confused than ever.

“That’s what they tell me, but I’m still getting accustomed to the idea,” she said casually waiting for him to reveal his identity. She took a step forward and added, "Sir, you have me at a distinct disadvantage. You know who I am, but I don’t know who you are."

“Don’t you?” With nothing more than a hand signal, he dismissed the guards from the room.

He walked over to the table and gestured for her to have a seat. "I think this may help explain things to you." He reached into his pocket and removed a gold oval-shaped locket. He leaned across the table and dropped the locket into her outstretched hand. She turned the locket over for a moment before opening it. It was a picture of a lovely woman not much older than Vaush. It was apparent that the picture was probably taken a couple of decades ago. Slowly, Vaush began to notice the slight resemblance…to herself.

Before she asked the question, she already knew the answer. “Who is she?”

The man was silent.

“It’s Skyla Erlacher,” Vaush said evenly. “My deceased mother.”

The man seemed to swallow a lump in his throat, and his voice was filled with distant melancholy. "Yes…that was your mother."

Vaush stared at the woman a few seconds longer before she lifted her eyes to him. “That uniform, this ship, the pride in your voice when speaking of me and the sadness when speaking of Skyla,” she smiled wanly. “You’re none other than General Erlacher, which would make you my grandfather.”

His eyes were filled with such sorrow and loss. “Hello, granddaughter. Welcome home.”

“I…I’m a little confused,” she said staring back at his watery eyes. “I was under the impression that you died shortly after…losing Skyla.”

“In a sense, I did die after losing your mother. I went through a period of deep depression and despair. I resigned my position as one of the Emperor’s Generals Elite and tried to drown myself in a thousand bottles. You see, I had failed her. I failed to protect her and keep her safe—” He took a moment to gather himself. “When I finally pulled it together , I resurfaced as the Earl de Qilar, a glorified gun for hire.”

Vaush looked around. “From what I’ve seen of your operation, the Earl de Qilar has done quite well for himself. Very well.” She gave him a pensive look as the next thought occurred. “Why have you waited until now to contact me? Why not come for me sooner?”

“Dear child,” he replied with deep emotion. "If only I’d known that you survived. If only I’d known that Bastionli monster kept Skyla alive long enough to give birth to you—”

The power of the revelation hit her. “You mean, you’ve only recently learned of my existence?”

“Yes,” he said anxiously. “Two weeks ago, the Murkudahl woman, Chaiyse, came to me and told me everything. That was the day that I learned my daughter had lived long enough to bear her child.” His eyes glistened and he smiled warmly. “I can't tell you how much it has meant to me to learn that you were alive, that a piece of Skyla had survived.”

Deeply moved by his emotion, she replied in kind, “And I am equally pleased to learn that I still have a link to my mother, to learn that I still have family in this world."

Unable to contain his feelings, he went to her and she rose from the chair to meet his embrace.

“Vaush, Vaush, I am so sorry that it took me this long to find you. I had no idea, I swear, I didn’t. Sweet child.”

“You found me in time,” she said and lifted her head from his shoulder. “That’s all that matters now.” It was only then that she truly breathed a sigh of relief. How pleased Comron would be to hear that there was no grand conspiracy, that the mysterious ally was motivated by grandfatherly love…and a powerful need to avenge his daughter’s death.

“I look forward to making up for all the lost time and getting to know one another. But first, there is the business of getting you to Novoxos.” He handed her a handkerchief; they both wiped their eyes.

“The Earl de Qilar seems to have a penchant for military memorabilia,” she observed. “You practically own a fleet of imperial battle cruisers."

He nodded. "Being an ex-Generals Elite does have its privileges." A look of concern came over him.

“Something’s troubling you. What is it?” she asked.

He looked at her with mild surprise. “ Skyla could always do that, quickly read my moods.” He clasped his hands behind his back, assuming a more serious manner. “I’m very worried about Captain Yaeger. He is one of my finest officers.”

“Oh,” Vaush said, her face suddenly burning with guilt. “I’m afraid it’s my fault that he’s in danger.”

“Yaeger is a grown man and a disciplined soldier,” he replied curtly. “If he’s out there, the fault is his alone.”

“But I pressed him to do it. Do you know my reasons?” she said, wanting to justify her request.

He nodded grimly.

“But you don’t feel it was worth the risk?” she asked tentatively.

He stared at her compassionately, then answered. “You must understand. Yaeger isn’t just one of my finest officers. He’s been the closest thing I’ve had to a son.”

Her guilt was compounded. “I’m so sorry. I was blinded by my own grief. I just couldn’t see my way without Comron.”

He nodded and sighed. “As I said, you didn’t force him to do anything against his will. All we can do now is pray that they’ll make it back safely.”

“Can’t you spare one ship to go back and help them?” she entreated.

“I won’t compromise our mission. I failed my daughter once, I won’t fail you too.”

She sat back in her chair, feeling dejected as she stared at the tabletop. Leaving Anchorii without Comron had been difficult, but she’d given her word.

“Don’t despair, my dear,” he said, smiling encouragingly. “If anyone can get them out of this alive, it’s Captain Yaeger. Let’s keep faith, shall we?”

She forced a smile in return. “I suspected as much.”

Just then, the door chimed.

"Yes."

"Lepkin, sir."

"Come in."

From the look on Lepkin's face, Vaush knew there was bad news.

"Sir, our sensors just picked up a fleet of Nethicaen battleships on an intercept course to Novoxos. Thalonius’ ranks keep swelling, the markings of Venarch and Keizher have been observed along with Nostrom and Warbrenger. They outnumber us six to one.”

"What is their ETA?” Erlacher asked, now in full military mode.

"We will intercept in just under two hours."

"Good, all is proceeding according to schedule. Begin the alpha sequence."

“Aye, sir.”

Erlacher turned to his granddaughter, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Don't look so discouraged. This old dog still has a few tricks up his sleeve.”

She smiled faintly.

“There is one thing that I’m quite curious about,” he said with a distinct look of disapproval. “Your adoptive house and Van Laven are sworn enemies of the highest degree. How is it that you came to be so intimately acquainted with Lord Comron,
Crown Prince of Nethic
?”

She squared her shoulders. “I presume you’re aware of the Patheis incident.”

“Yes, I was able to dig beneath the publicized version of that event.”

“Then you must already know how it is that we became intimately acquainted,” she answered wondering what he was truly fishing for.

He shook his head. “I can certainly understand putting aside your differences under those trying circumstances, but forgive me for being forward, I’m under the impression that your relationship goes deeper than mutual toleration. Did this development occur before or after he learned of your true identity?” he said with raised brow.

Her expression fell and her tone was suddenly icy, “We fell in love on Patheis when he still believed I was the daughter of the man he loathed. And when he learned my true parentage, he risked his life to remove me from the line of fire. For all intents and purpose, he gave his life to save mine. So forgive me if I get a little defensive when you call his motives into question.”

He bowed his head. “Forgive me, but I had to ask with so much at stake. Especially after I had him investigated—”

“You did what?” she exclaimed.

“Vaush everyone and their mother is going to want a piece of you once news gets out of who you are. The timing of Comron’s involvement with you was highly suspect. I had to wonder if he was working some political agenda.”

“Political agenda? Listen, grandfather, Comron is a permanent, inextricable part of my life. So whatever concerns or reservations you have about him, you need to get over them.”

He closed his eyes and sighed. “I thought you’d say something like that.”

Her frown deepened. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

“Vaush, dear,” he said in a soothing tone. “This really isn’t the proper time to get into this. But you need to understand that as Empress, you
will
have to place the needs of the Empire ahead of your own.” He patted her shoulder. “Just bear that in mind. Meanwhile, I have a major battle to prepare for.”