Heaven Saga 1: The Lost Hero Page 14

  “So that’s how you earned your rank captain,” Zae said, turning back to her console.

  “Baed, set course back to the asteroid,” she ordered. “I have a feeling that Maigar of ours is causing all kinds of trouble.”

  “Yes captain,” Baed said.

  Chapter 28 – Secret No More

  “Are you sure you’re alright Commander?” Laeda asked as Brian followed her onto the shuttle. He watched as Kivi was attended to by a pair of medics. He looked down at his armor and saw numerous breaks and small wounds.

  “Nothing I can’t recover from. The exoskeleton took the brunt of the hits, both for me and her,” he said. He watched as more ships came to recover the spoils. Lieutenant Laeda went out to speak with another officer and came back a moment later.

  “I’ve ordered everyone who’s seen you remain silent,” Laeda said.

  When the shuttle launched Brian looked out the window. Outside, he saw the Daevoni. Other than being painted differently, it looked exactly like the Avoni.

  “Lieutenant, where’s my ship?” he asked.

  Laeda turned. “The Avoni was last seen in pursuit of the warship. They should be returning shortly.”

  “Thanks,” he said.

  After a few minutes the shuttle landed in the docking bay and Kivi was escorted to sickbay. He followed with Laeda right behind him. Each crew member of the Daevoni stopped and stared as Brian walked by them. When they reached sickbay Kivi’s armor was peeled off and she was brought into the surgical room. He watched as they stabilized her and began healing her wounds. After a few minutes it looked like she would be alright. The medics stood around him, unsure of what they were looking at. One with short blue hair and green eyes come out of the room where Kivi was.

  “I’m the chief medical officer of the Daevoni, Nina Raekar,” she said. “You’re a strange one. I’m sure there’ve been experiments to make males, but you’re an exceptional specimen.”

  “He’s not Kalaidian,” Laeda said.

  “Call me Brian,” he said. “How’s she doing?”

  “She’ll be up an about in a few hours,” Nina answered. “She lost a lot of blood, but we got to her in time.” She looked at him again. “If you’re not Kalaidian, then what are you?”

  The door opened and in stormed an impatient Captain Esra. “That’s a secret he shouldn’t be telling others,” she said.

  “Sorry captain, I was just interested,” Nina said.

  Esra sized him up. “Valis never tells me about her new toys,” she said, following with a sigh. “My crew spoke of an android guarding some of the Avoni’s crew, but I didn’t expect this surprise.”

  He couldn’t help but stare at Esra for a moment. “I’m Brian,” he said, saluting afterwards.

  “You’re well-mannered for a Terran,” Esra said. “I expected something hideous. You’re much more beautiful in person.” He blushed while she laughed.

  “You seem to know a lot about me,” he said.

  Esra took his hand. “I spoke to Valis a few minutes ago. She told me a few things. From the carnage you made I can see why she’d hang onto you.”

  * * *

  Seles landed her Nova in the Avoni’s hanger and got out. Taking her helmet off, she counted the fighters flying. She sighed with relief after seeing no one had been lost. She headed to the door when Valis came through.

  “Seles, I need you to fly me over to the Daevoni,” Valis said.

  “Of course,” she said as they headed for a shuttle. “What’s going on?”

  “An unruly pair of officers is over there,” she said. “One of them is badly wounded.”

  “Are you talking about Kivi and Brian?” Seles asked.

  Valis nodded. “Yes, Brian brought Kivi over to their ship for medical attention.”

  When they went inside the shuttle they found Mira waiting with a med kit. Valis sat in the copilot’s chair and relaxed in her seat. Seles sat down at the controls and glanced at Mira.

  “It’s been awhile since you went on an away mission,” Seles said.

  “He’s such an idiot,” Mira said.

  “His judgment is poor only because he lacks experience,” Valis said as the shuttle closed up and flew out of the hanger.

  “He takes too many risks,” Mira said.

  “I second that,” Seles added.

  Their shuttle met and escort of five Novaguards once they came within range of the Daevoni. They landed and were escorted to sickbay by three guards. There, they found Esra admiring Brian. His armor was battered and covered in blood. Kivi was stable and sleeping in the room next door. Seles and Mira ran to Brian, while Valis went to Esra.

  “Are you alright?” Seles and Mira asked in unison. They looked at each other with an edge in their eyes.

  “I could use a little patching up,” he answered.

  Valis turned to him. “Recover the Mjolnir and return to base, one of the senior staff needs to be there. I’ll return with Kivi shortly.”

  “Yes captain,” Brian said.

  The three left for the shuttle while Valis went to Kivi.

  “He’s quite the catch,” Esra said.

  “You mean Brian?” Valis asked.

  “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Esra asked. “He is good to look at, but he’s also Terran.”

  Valis smiled. “I know. Good fortune brought him to me. Also, I need to know if Terrans really are the monsters we think of them.”

  “And what do you think so far?” Esra asked.

  Valis looked at the pictures of the dead Shandi. “I’m having a hard time believing that’s Brian. He’s much more subdued, not barbaric. But, whenever he’s in danger, it’s like something takes over.”

  * * *

  “Ouch!” Brian groaned as Mira tended to his wounds in the shuttle. “I can’t believe your technology is hundreds of years more advanced than Earth’s and you can’t make disinfectants painless.”

  “I’d apologize,” Mira said, “But maybe you shouldn’t put yourself in so much danger. Your exoskeleton is well built, but it can’t protect you from everything.”

  He looked at his pock marked armor. “It’s well made, but it can be improved.” Looking at Mira, and then Seles, he saw something in their expressions. “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

  “I’m glad you acknowledge the screw up,” Seles said as she joined them. “Mira, is everything alright?”

  “He’s took a few nicks and bruises, but nothing to worry about,” Mira answered as she checked her scanner’s readings. “What concerns me is the excessive adrenalin levels in his blood stream. It’s not much now, but the levels were extremely high a short while ago.” Mira looked over at Brian’s armor. “Do you mind if I check the exoskeleton?”

  “No, go right ahead Mira,” he said, handing it to her.

  Seles checked their heading. “We’ll be at the Mjolnir in a few minutes.”

  Mira took the helmet and began working with it. She hooked it up to her scanner and recorded all the data. “These readings can’t be right,” she said as she scratched her head,” But the video proves the theory.”

  “What is it?” he asked.

  She looked at Seles and Brian. “When men existed amongst our people, there were rare cases of a warrior going berserk. While in this state, the warrior would gain extensive advantages in combat such as improved reflexes, strength, speed, and weapon skills. Even those in Novaguards would gain advantages. During the state, the warrior’s eyes would glow blue and he would lose his sense of self. There were cases where the berserker would attack his allies and remember nothing afterwards.”

  “Do you have proof of this?” he asked.

  “It’s right here.” She turned on the video. It clearly showed his eyes glowing blue. They saw his mouth was clenching while an occasional snicker came out.

  “I look like a psychopath in this video,” he said, averting his gaze. “Is there some way to fix this?”

  “Records show 95% of reported berserkers gai
ned control after meditation training. It may take a few months or a year, but you’ll probably be able to control it,” Mira said.

  “What about the other 5%?” he asked.

  Mira reached out, taking his hand. “They suffered from a condition called Nano Psychosis. Celi’s an expert on diseases, so you should see her as soon as we get back.”

  “I’ll do that,” he said, looking out the window. He looked down at his bloodstained armor. “Let’s get the Mjolnir and go home.”

  “Good idea, I’m exhausted,” Seles said.

  “Agreed,” Mira said.

  Chapter 29 – Anniversary

  Brian awoke in his bed with Seles. She was awake and stared at the ceiling.

  “Was last night something special I should know about?” he asked as he got up and put some clothes on.

  “It’s been exactly one galactic standard year since we met. I wanted to celebrate the occasion,” she said as she rolled out of bed and put her uniform on.

  He looked at the clock. “It’s already been a year.” He shook his head. “It feels like a lot longer than that.”

  “What kind of future do you have in mind?” she asked as they sat down for breakfast. On the table was covered platter.

  “I really don’t know. I still have nine years of service before I’m free to pursue something on my own.” He looked at the platter. “What’s the surprise in here you mentioned last night?”

  She turned the switch on the platter. “It should be done cooking a few minutes. It’s something you’ve talked about, so I thought I’d try my hand at making it. I hope it turns out like it should. Ensign Raeka, our esteemed culinary expert, had a fit watching me prepare this.”

  “What about you? What kind of future do you envision?” he asked.

  She lost herself in deep thought before answering. “I don’t want to return home. The only thing waiting for a crowned princess is the throne, and that’s not as glorious as it sounds.”

  “From the way you speak of it, being a noble isn’t much of a life,” he said.

  “No, it’s not Brian,” she looked at a picture of an ocean on the wall. “I fled with Baed because the two of us were born to serve. Ideally, to serve is to serve the people of Kalaidia. But in reality I would serve as the figurehead for the other noble families. Baed would suffer a similar fate, doomed to live her life as a lowly noble over a meaningless fiefdom.” A light blinked on the platter. “It looks like it’s done,” she said.

  “I’m starved,” he said as he removed the cover. Underneath was a sight he hadn’t seen in over year, a cheese pizza. He savored the aroma as it filled the room. “It looks like you got it perfect.” He took the knife and cut it.

  “It took my at least a dozen tries to get the texture right,” she said.

  He took a slice and ate, savoring the taste. “Thanks.”

  “I’m glad you approve,” she said as she took a slice.

  After they finished eating Brian sat back in his chair.

  “How did you figure out how to make a pizza?” he asked.

  She smiled. “You may not believe this, but I was the best chef in the palace. I often wonder if my mother misses me or my cooking more.”

  “I’m sure she misses both,” he said.

  His com flashed. “Brian, please report to the captain as soon as possible,” Zae said.

  He sighed and picked it up. “I’ll be there shortly,” he answered. Brian put on his armor and headed for the door. Before leaving, he turned back to Seles. “I’m glad we did this.”

  “Me to,” she said.

  * * *

  Brian walked into the captain’s room and saw Valis and Mira talking. They stopped and looked at him.

  “I have a different request Brian, something both Captain Esra and I would like for you to do,” Valis said.

  “They want us to perform a blade dance for both crews,” Mira said. “They’ve even gone so far as to rent out a concert hall for us to perform.”

  “Don’t you think it’s dangerous to have me perform in the open like this?” he asked, looking to Valis.

  “It’s not something you should concern yourself with,” Valis said. “We’ll have security.”

  “Alright, I trust you,” he said, nodding in agreement.

  “I expect a great show,” Valis said. “Your first performance set a high standard and we expect nothing less.”

  “How long do we have to prepare?” he asked.

  “Ten days,” Valis answered.

  * * *

  Seles walked into the mess hall, oblivious of the stares heading her way. She got her meal and looked for a place to sit. She saw Baed sitting alone in the corner. As she made her way towards Baed, she finally noticed the stares and giggles from the others. She blushed as she sat down and tried to ignore the attention by eating her meal.

  “So where were you last night?” Baed asked with a crooked smile.

  She tried avoiding the question by eating.

  Baed stared at her. “Come on Seles, be honest this time. I didn’t say a word the first time you didn’t come back, but this time I know where you went.”

  “And where was that?” she asked while still trying to hide behind her lunch.

  “Brian?”

  Seles choked, and then coughed.

  “Seems I was right,” Baed said. “I can tell because of the way you look at each other. His eyes follow your every move.” She watched Seles eat frantically while blushing. “I have a question for you Seles.”

  “And what’s that?” Seles asked irritably.

  “What’s it like with a Terran?”

  Chapter 30 – Synchronized Blades

  It was a cool rainy day on Dega Jul as fog covered this sector of the city planet. Zae paced the perimeter of a huge stone building. With her were three guards, fully armed and ready. As she neared the entrance, a massive double door, she saw a number of Kalaidians coming into view. Many of the other alien races gathered as well, though not for the same purpose as the crews of the Avoni and Daevoni. Zae entered the building. The first room was a massive greeting hall. At the far end was the entrance to the musical hall. She moved deeper into the room until she found Valis and Esra talking.

  “So what style of music does your Maigar specialize in?” Esra asked.

  “He doesn’t specialize in any of our musical disciplines,” Valis answered. “Mira told me it would be a mix our style and his.”

  Zae went to Valis. “We’ve secured the perimeter. We have guards posted at every entrance and set up a dampening field around the music hall.”

  Valis smiled. “Thank you Zae.”

  Zae saluted and went back outside to check the perimeter one more time. Valis turned back to Esra.

  “From what I’ve heard, his blade dance is a wonder to see,” Esra said.

  Valis laughed. “He’s going to have a hard time topping his first performance.”

  * * *

  Mira smiled and took his hand as they went out onto the darkened stage. Both walked to their starting positions, with Brian kneeling behind her. As the entry doors closed and the last Kalaidians took their seats, Mira turned on the surround system. A pair of lights shined on them as the crowd went silent. She wore her white dress while Brian wore his armor and cape again.

  Mira addressed the crowd. “Welcome everyone. I am Mira, the Reiniere of the Avoni. My partner today is Rakna Maigar Brian Peterson. Today, we’ve prepared a special concert for you. The first song shall be led by Brian.”

  He stood up and walked forward. He drew his blades with lightning speed and dazzled the crowd with a musical scales before changing the rakna blade sound over to an electric guitar. He and Mira took their stances once more and began the concert. They alternated between her songs and his favorite classic rock songs. The crowd was fascinated by his alien music. At the end, he replayed his rendition of “Stairway to Heaven”. After thirteen songs, he and Mira bowed to a rabid crowd. She took out a white rose again and handed it to Brian. H
e scanned the crowd of lovely alien ladies. Smiling, he closed his eyes and kissed the rose. With a spin he threw it into the crowd not knowing who would be the lucky lady. The crowd went silent. He opened his eyes and saw Celi jumping up and down with the flower. He sighed with relief as he stepped off the stage and went to Celi.

  He knelt on one knee. “Lieutenant Commander Celi, as the Lady of the Rose, I am to serve you for the night.”

  After jumping up and down, Celi noticed the others stared at her. Embarrassed, she went to him and whispered into his ear. “Why are they looking at me like that?”

  “Because most of them don’t have any idea why you’re so happy,” he said.

  Chapter 31 – His Star Disappears

  Brian woke the next morning and saw Celi checking herself in the mirror. He stood up and surprised her.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you up,” she said.

  He started putting his clothes on. “It wasn’t you,” he said. He noticed she was staring at him. “What is it?”

  “You’ve changed a lot,” she said. “All of your training’s made you more attractive.”

  He laughed. “I was really out of shape.” He walked over to her. “Do you know the reason the Maigar spends a night of passion with the Lady of the Rose?”

  She looked to the side, blushing. “A Maigar’s genes are superior. The premise of is to spread the best genes amongst us.” She turned her gaze back to his. “But since you’re Terran, the genes can’t be transferred properly.”

  He went to the computer monitor and pressed a button. A small drawer opened. “You’ve been waiting for this for,” he said as he produced the metal container she gave him prior. “This contains the sample you wanted.”