Marathon: The Complete Series (Books 1-9) (Complete Series Box Sets), page 69
part #1 of Marathon Series
A stream of Datrium sliced past Clifton’s shoulder, cut through his jacket sleeve, and raced straight for DeWalt. It would have killed DeWalt for sure, but instead, it sailed right through him.
Clifton’s instincts kicked in. He dove sideways, slammed down hard on the floor, whipped onto his side, and yanked his own weapon.
The other three crewmen stood behind him. All of them had unbuckled their harnesses while Paulson and Hawkins confronted Clifton and DeWalt. Now all three of them aimed their weapons at Clifton and DeWalt, and smoke billowed from one barrel.
Clifton fired on the shooter and all three of them swiveled their guns downward. They would all blow him away in a second. He could only hope to go down shooting.
The shooter raised his sidearm one more time, but at that moment, a deafening blast echoed through the ship. It thumped Clifton’s ears and he ducked automatically.
All three gunmen hurtled off their feet, hit the ship’s hull, and evaporated through it. They vanished beyond the solid steel bulkhead.
A distant scream sounded outside in the vacuum of the planet’s surface and then cut off just as fast. Clifton jerked his sidearm the other way, but Paulson and Hawkins were both gone, too. No one was there except DeWalt.
DeWalt hustled over to Clifton, grabbed his wrist, and hoisted Clifton to his feet. “Get up! You’ll have to fly the ship.”
“What…what did you do, DeWalt?” Clifton panted.
“I disintegrated them outside the hull. I had to get rid of them. They’re dead now.”
“You said—”
DeWalt waved that away. “It came back when I realized we were in danger. It doesn’t matter. We have to get over to the station and I can’t fly this thing.”
Clifton blinked at his friend. So DeWalt’s power was back—all of it?
“Clifton!” DeWalt raised his voice to a bark. “Fly the ship!”
“Oh. Right.” Clifton dropped into Paulson’s old place. He still scrambled to orient himself to this new situation.
DeWalt sat down in Hawkins’ place. “We won’t be able to fly right up to the station, so I need you to park us somewhere out of sight but not too far away.”
“What do you mean, we won’t be able to fly to the station? How are we supposed to get there if we don’t fly?”
“I’ll take us there. Just…” DeWalt shot another pointed glance at the controls. “Fly the ship, Clifton.”
Clifton didn’t ask any more questions. He also made sure to keep his eyes off the scanners. He didn’t want to see so much Earthling blood and guts lying around outside the ship’s hull. He didn’t want to think about the crew whose vessel DeWalt had just stolen.
Clifton fired up the engines and rotated the Vagrex toward Oibus Station. DeWalt kept doing things to Hawkins’ controls, but Clifton didn’t pay attention to that, either. If DeWalt’s power was even partially back, this mission was going to turn into something very, very different from what Clifton initially thought.
He flew up the canyons and defiles, getting closer to the station until DeWalt pointed to something on the map chart. “There. Set down there.”
Clifton did as he was told. He wasn’t looking forward to seeing what DeWalt had in mind for traveling across a barren planet with no atmosphere.
DeWalt indicated a flat plateau between two high cliffs. Clifton rotated the Vagrex and extended the landing gear, but before he could set down, another ship blasted overhead, hammering the whole area with shots.
“What the hell!” DeWalt bent forward and tried to peer up at the sky. “What was that?”
“Someone is shooting at us!” Another dozen explosions peppered the plateau and knocked the Vagrex out of position. “Screw it! We can’t land in this.”
He ripped the ship into the air and retracted the landing gear as another fourteen ships rocketed into view. Clifton took half a second to realize they were Velocities.
They wheeled through the canyons, exchanging shots with another cluster of fighters racing behind them. Both groups swirled around the Vagrex, and Datrium jets aimed at the newcomers hit the smugglers’ vessel instead.
“Why are they shooting at us?” DeWalt yelped.
“Who cares? Return fire!” Clifton steered out of the canyon in a dead sprint. His heart sank when DeWalt tried to get hold of the big gun in front of him. He didn’t know what to do with it.
The Velocities and the fighters zoomed away into the atmosphere, and a second later, a whole flock of much larger ships descended through the atmosphere.
They came from many different classes, and some of their signatures on the Vagrex’s readouts came up in different languages Clifton didn’t recognize.
They opened fire on each other, and when Clifton tried to get away from them, the attackers sent out fighters to hunt the Vagrex down.
DeWalt swung his gun around to return their fire, but he didn’t get his shots away in time. The enemy rocketed away, and more ships plunged through the atmosphere to fire at each other.
“Forget this!” DeWalt yelled. “I’m going to disintegrate them.”
“No!” Clifton countered. “Stay where you are. We’re getting out of here.”
“Why not?” DeWalt hollered. “They’re attacking us! We have to!”
“No!” Clifton bellowed. “They aren’t attacking us. They’re Jackal Clan and Chosen fighting each other. The gangs are fighting each other.”
7
Clifton pushed the Vagrex to its full speed beating a path back to Churata, but as soon as he got out of Oibus’ orbit, he ran into an even bigger space battle raging as far as the eye could see.
What he first took for a gang war between the Jackal Clan and the Chosen included ships from the Immortals, too. Dozens of ships from all sides blocked the route back to Churata. They all fired on each other, and as soon as the Vagrex showed up, the aliens turned their guns on the Vagrex, too.
“Shoot, DeWalt!” Clifton roared. “What are you waiting for?”
“You said not to!” DeWalt replied. “You said—”
“I said not to disintegrate them.”
DeWalt said something else that Clifton didn’t catch. More Datrium bursts slammed the Vagrex’s sides.
“Where’s the Marathon?” DeWalt shrieked.
“Just shoot!”
“Who should I shoot?” DeWalt asked.
“I don’t care!” Clifton fired back. “If it isn’t the Marathon, shoot it. Shoot anything that moves.”
DeWalt rotated his gun back to aim at a herd of fighters racing up behind the Vagrex. He popped off several shots as the fighters tumbled past, but Clifton couldn’t fly any further.
A line of giant freighters stood guard over Churata. They unloaded on any ship that tried to break through to the planet.
The Jackal Clan Velocities rocketed behind the Chosen fighters, driving the enemy into the freighters’ guns. The freighters stayed where they were and destroyed any vessel that came within range. Clifton couldn’t break through that way.
He wheeled into reverse and buried himself in the battle, but with so many different ships all shooting at once, he couldn’t find any place to hide.
He tried to break through back to Oibus until the Velocities swooped around and plunged in for another pass. Their guns tore the battle apart and smashed into the Vagrex.
DeWalt yelled and a shower of sparks erupted out of the dashboard into his face. The smoke cleared and Clifton stared at a gaping hole in the console in front of the DeWalt. The big gun was gone.
Clifton gave it up and floored the engines. He headed back toward Oibus to hide in the canyons again, and he ran headfirst into a whole squadron of Banshees launching from the station.
They spread out to cover the whole battle. No one could reach the station. Clifton feared the worst now that the alien gangs had brought their fight too close to Oibus. Was Eckhart already dead?
A secret voice whispered in Clifton’s brain. Eckhart is still alive. The Regiment will not kill him. He’s too valuable.
Chyke. Clifton didn’t know how he knew, but he was certain he was communicating with the telepathic Silent Death representative.
Go back toward Churata, Clifton. The Marathon is waiting for you there. I am communicating to Alice that you are on this vessel. She will rendezvous with you.
Clifton couldn’t be relieved by Chyke’s assurance. Going back toward Churata was the absolute last thing Clifton wanted to do right now, but he had nothing else to do and nowhere else to go. At least someone in this crazy battle knew where he and DeWalt were.
He pulled the Vagrex around and faced directly into the Velocities’ guns. The Velocities opened fire even more ferociously, but the Banshees caught up before the Velocities could do too much damage to the Vagrex.
The Banshees crept up on the Vagrex’s tail. They hounded the smugglers’ vessel straight into the Velocities’’ teeth…and the next minute, the Vagrex plunged past the Velocities, with the Banshees facing off against the Jackal Clan in a fountain of Datrium.
“Don’t!” DeWalt shrieked, but Clifton didn’t listen. He slammed the throttle down and zoomed for the freighters blockading Churata.
All the freighters swiveled their weapons to destroy the smugglers’ craft, but instead of blowing the Vagrex to smithereens, the Vagrex vaporized straight through them to the other side.
Clifton blinked down at the planet hovering before his eyes. He hardly dared to believe his eyes when he feasted his gaze on the Marathon right in front of him. He checked his instruments. The freighters were behind him, with several Regiment Colossuses booming in to engage the Immortals’ line.
The Marathon turned its open hatch toward the Vagrex and the ship glided into the familiar cargo hold. Everything that happened on Oibus felt like a bad dream—except for one thing.
Eckhart was still down there.
Clifton and DeWalt stepped out of the Vagrex. No one came to meet them. The Marathon was silent, except that it was still flying around in space.
Clifton and DeWalt headed up to the bridge without seeing anyone. That on its own was strange. The ship had more crew now than it ever did before, so where was everybody?
They walked in on Alice engaged in a furious argument with Rory Vagill and Dickat Norheall, while Akkek, Dallas, Innyria, and Bing stood around listening.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Alice snapped. “You deliberately interfered with our rescue operation to get Eckhart off Oibus Station. You could have gotten him killed.”
“No one cares about Eckhart anymore,” Dickat countered. “He’s washed up. He’s useless to us. Trying to save him is only stopping us from attacking the Regiment the way we planned. As soon as we stop thinking about him, the sooner we can bring this rebellion to a successful conclusion.”
“There is no rebellion!” Akkek cut in. “You’re engaged in a petty gang war with the Jackal Clan and the Chosen.”
“We’re not engaged in a gang war with anyone,” Namol interjected on a different communications channel. “The Immortals attacked us. We only defended ourselves.”
“Get your freighters away from Churata, Rory!” Alice ordered. “You’re inciting the Regiment and threatening Eckhart’s life.”
“None of us takes orders from you—or from anyone else,” Rory snarled. “The fringes recognize no authority—”
A familiar chirpy voice cut in as the Atera and the rest of Eckhart’s fleet rolled into orbit over Churata. “You swore an oath of loyalty to Eckhart, Rory. If you brand yourself a traitor, you’ll be treated as a traitor. Is that really what you want?”
Rory bared his teeth and glared at everyone through the communications system. “You don’t have the authority to do anything to me. The Immortals don’t recognize—”
The image of the two gang lords smeared and flickered. It stuttered and then vanished. “What’s the problem?” Alice rounded on Alia, who stood at Rixby’s old station. “Get them back.”
“The interference isn’t coming from any ship,” Rixby replied. “It’s coming from the planet.”
“What do you mean?” Alia asked, but before anyone could answer, a fresh wave of ships launched from Churata’s surface.
They registered no life signs, or even any power signatures. They moved through space in ghostly silence, and Clifton shivered at the sight of them.
“Silent Death!” Akkek whispered.
Alice pounced on her regulators. “Rory! Dickat! Do you copy? You need to communicate your loyalty to Eckhart now—before it’s too late.”
“There’s no answer,” Alia murmured. “There’s no communications coming or going from any Immortals ship. They’re all dead in the water.”
The tactical grid changed to reveal the battle raging between Churata and Oibus. The Jackal Clan and the Chosen still fought a gathering mob of Regiment craft.
The Immortals’ freighters and a bunch of other large battle craft sat motionless without shooting at anything. Every light and energy signature coming from them had died completely.
“Shit!” Alice husked through her mask. “This is going to be bad.”
The gunshots and explosions going on inside the battle faded. Everyone present held their breath watching the Silent Death ships creep up on their prey.
The Silent Death ships surrounded the battle, but they didn’t attack. What horrors would Silent Death visit on the traitorous Immortals for betraying their pact with the fringe population?
The Regiment noticed the lull and plunged in to attack the defenseless Immortals, but an almighty shockwave burst somewhere inside the battle. It flung the Regiment back toward Oibus, and at the same instant, the shaggy, ragged head of Chyke appeared inside Clifton’s head.
I am communicating with all of you simultaneously. You will be able to see and hear everything that all of you says.
At his word, Namol and Vuldak appeared alongside Rixby, Squids, and Alice.
Rory Vagill and Dickat Norheall are dead. Anyone who violates their oath to the fringes will die. There will be no mercy and no repudiation. Any alien who betrays our cause will die now. Does the Jackal Clan pledge its loyalty to our cause?
Of course, Chyke, Namol replied. The Jackal Clan has never wavered for an instant.
And does the Chosen renounce this vendetta against the Jackal Clan, Vuldak? You are either a part of our army, or you can go your own way to seek revenge for ancient slights. Make your decision now if you want to live.
O...of course, Chyke. Vuldak didn’t sound nearly as certain as Namol did.
I am communicating with the Immortals, Chyke went on. I will exact the rebel alliance’s vengeance against any backsliders.
Several of the freighters detonated in withering explosions. They lit up the battlefield, and scattered fighters ruptured to scrap in seconds.
This force will remain united from now on, Chyke ordered. Any ship or crew that violates their oath will be instantly destroyed.
Chyke and the other gang leaders vanished. Alice collapsed back in her seat. “Phew! That was a close one.”
“Here comes the Regiment!” Alia screamed. “They’re advancing for another assault!”
Attack Oibus Station and wipe it off the map, Chyke whispered in Clifton’s ear.
What about Eckhart? The same question passed from mind to mind through the Marathon bridge staff.
Eckhart is not on Oibus anymore. The Regiment has moved him somewhere else.
Clifton tried to ask questions, but Chyke had already disappeared.
Rixby suffered no such misgivings. Her chirpy voice echoed through the alien fleet. “Attack! All ships—assault Oibus Station and destroy it! Destroy every Regiment ship! Don’t leave anyone alive down there.”
The fringe aliens launched instantly. The Velocities spun around and rocketed at the oncoming Colossuses. The Jackal Clan and the Chosen fell in line with each other, their conflict forgotten now that they had a common enemy.
Alice seized the regulators, but before she even succeeded in turning the Marathon around, two matched starbursts of brilliant light blasted off the bridge. They hurtled straight through the front wall and soared into the battle blazing in blinding glory.
Clifton caught his breath as DeWalt and Akkek zoomed into the battle, destroying everything in their path. They parted and whizzed in opposite directions.
DeWalt flew toward an enormous Colossus and vanished inside it. The ship continued hammering the Chosen with Datrium shots for a second before the ship shuddered and groaned.
“Get back!” Alice bellowed. “Pull back—all ships! Get away from the Colossus.”
The Jackal Clan reacted and the Velocities reversed out of danger, but some of the Chosen didn’t get the message in time.
The Colossus juddered for a second, and then blasted outward in an unholy tide of burning Datrium and scrap metal. The shockwave caught the stricken ships in its wake and carried them with it.
Akkek swerved down the line of Colossuses. The Banshees gathered behind the larger ships and formed up for another assault on the fringe aliens.
They launched in front of the Colossuses to pounce on the Velocities, and at that moment, Akkek looped around the Colossuses. She hurtled up the line of Banshees, disintegrated through them, and they detonated one after the other.
The exploding Banshees formed a wall of flame blocking everyone from reaching Oibus. The Colossuses stood guard behind where the Banshees used to be.
No one could get through, but before anyone could move, the Silent Death ships split into two flanks. They parted to fly around the Colossus line…and vanished into thin air.
Clifton traced every inch of the battle searching for them, but Silent Death was gone. Akkek vaulted on high to observe her handiwork. DeWalt burst out of one exploding Colossus and hopped to the next. He leapfrogged down the line, popping them one after the other.
Far in the distance, a black shadow swelled out of Oibus’ canyons and chasms. Clifton’s blood ran cold as it crawled across the planet. It began on the night side and inched into the sun creeping closer to the station.
The Colossuses had their hands full with Akkek and DeWalt. They didn’t notice until it was too late. The shadow swallowed the station until Datrium blasts and gunfire dissolved in darkness.
