Marathon: The Complete Series (Books 1-9) (Complete Series Box Sets), page 92
part #1 of Marathon Series
Dallas studied him for a second and then turned back to the door. He walked out and left Eckhart standing there in turmoil.
Losing Alice was bad enough. Did winning this war mean standing by and watching all his friends die?
5
Eckhart, Rixby, Squids, Bing, Clifton, DeWalt, and Dallas stood on the landing platform watching the Jackal Clan and Chosen transport craft drift down to land in the Atera’s hold.
Namol descended, took one look at Eckhart, and then turned to greet Chemorix Yacrorilia, the new Chosen representative.
Eckhart watched the two gang leaders embrace warmly. They knew each other well, and Eckhart knew them both. He’d trusted Namol for years before this campaign started, but the rebellion had consolidated that trust, so now Eckhart valued Namol even more.
Chemorix belonged to the Dhesith race. He towered over even Namol’s burly frame. Eight muscular arms sprouted from his shoulders in a ring that encircled his back and chest. A matching row of eyes surrounded his head in a complete crown so he could see in all directions. His four legs rotated in a seamless flow of movement when he crossed the landing platform.
He must have rocketed to the top of the Chosen hierarchy. Vuldak Dhaddet had never been more than a mouthpiece for the Chosen. He was a businessman, a middleman. Chemorix really was an enforcer in the Chosen—or he used to be. He must have made his mark to become their official representative. Making his mark could have involved killing the right person, executing the right hit or job, or a combination of both…or maybe something a lot worse.
The two leaders turned and approached Eckhart together. They stayed shoulder to shoulder, but their arrival only eased Eckhart’s agitation.
He wouldn’t have the same conflicts between these men that he’d between Vuldak, Namol, and Rory Vagill. Namol and Chemorix were friends. They trusted each other, and they shared the same goals. They shared the same honor among thieves and assassins.
Namol stormed up to Eckhart and embraced him in front of everyone. “Thank the stars you’re back. I worried something might happen to you on Earth.”
Eckhart laughed in relief to see his friend again. “Don’t worry. I wasn’t planning on staying there.” He turned to Chemorix and grasped his hand. “Thank you for coming. I’m thrilled that you’re taking over the Chosen.”
Chemorix made a smacking sound in his mouth. “That worm Vuldak was a pustule on the backside of our clan for too long. He caused too many problems, and he deserved to die. The Chosen are grateful to you for leaving him to die. It should have happened years ago.”
“I’m glad to hear you say so.”
“So when do we go after the Regiment?” Namol demanded. “If we don’t do it soon, the gangs will do it without us. They’re becoming discontented that we haven’t eliminated the Regiment already.”
“It’s critical that you stop your people from going after them. The Regiment has more of their experimental weapons. Anyone who goes near them will be destroyed, until we can figure out a way to defeat them.”
“Excuse me, Eckhart,” Dallas interrupted, “but we agreed…”
Now it was Eckhart’s turn to hold up his hand. “Not now, pal. I’ll decide when we go after the Regiment.”
Namol and Chemorix turned to Dallas. “What are you keeping from us, Eckhart?”
“We’ll discuss our plan once the Immortals leader gets here. We need all three gangs together with my fleet before we make another assault on the Regiment.”
“Here he comes now,” Dallas announced.
The whole party turned as another vessel approached the Atera. Eckhart didn’t recognize it. It didn’t match any vessel type he knew; it looked strangely like it had been cobbled together from parts of a bunch of different ships.
It landed and disgorged at least twenty aliens all from different species. They lined up just outside the hatch and came to attention.
Then a tall Urus descended the steps and turned to face Eckhart.
He froze when he recognized Innyria.
Eckhart would have gone to embrace Innyria, too, but something stopped him. Innyria looked different—very different.
His features no longer hovered between young and ancient. Innyria seemed to have turned to solid granite since he’d left the Atera. He almost looked like a completely different person.
He advanced toward the waiting party. Namol and Chemorix parted to let him through, but Innyria’s reappearance did something to Eckhart. Maybe it was losing Alice and now getting Innyria back in her place. Eckhart started forward and met Innyria in the center of the landing platform, where no one else stood around eavesdropping.
“You came back,” Eckhart began.
“I’m the leader of the Immortals now.”
“How did that happen?” Eckhart asked.
Innyria’s gaze slid sideways toward the other leaders standing behind Eckhart. “In the usual way.”
Eckhart winced. So it was true. Innyria must have killed a few people—or a lot of people.
He could only think of one place where Innyria could have gone to consolidate his rule over the Immortals. Innyria must have gone back to Parilia, but he hadn’t returned to his old post at the security office. He’d only been gone a few weeks. He hadn’t spent that time verifying the identities of new arrivals.
He must have worked fast to carve his way to the top…unless Innyria had been much more deeply embedded in the Immortals hierarchy before he left.
No, he couldn’t have been. He’d worked for the Chosen at the same time, so he must have been neutral.
But he wasn’t neutral now. “So Chemorix is taking over for the Chosen. That’s good. He’s solid.”
“Why don’t you come over and talk to them?”
“I want to talk to you first, Eckhart,” Innyria replied. “The Immortals want to wage a campaign against the Regiment. They want to go after the Regiment now. If you don’t do it, I won’t be able to stop them.”
“We are waging a campaign against the Regiment. That’s exactly what I need to talk to you about, but it’s important that your people don’t go after the Regiment on their own.”
“Why not?” Innyria demanded. “We want justice. We all do.”
“The Regiment has more experimental weapons. They’re the ones who wiped out Nals and Aerleth, along with their whole fleet. More people will die unless we find a way to defeat these experimental assets.”
“What are the experimental assets?”
“We don’t know yet.” Eckhart waved him forward. “Come on. The others need to be involved in this discussion.”
Eckhart led Innyria back over to the group, who stood muttering in front of the elevator. Namol and Chemorix turned to face Innyria. “So it’s you,” Namol remarked. “I’m surprised, I won’t lie about that, but I’m pleased you’re here.”
“Thank you,” Innyria replied. “I’m surprised, too, but it was the best way to get the job done. The Immortals haven’t had decent leadership in a long time—not until Nals and Aerleth—and now they’re dead. The Immortals want vengeance.”
“We all do,” Eckhart interrupted. “Let’s go upstairs, and we can decide on a plan to—”
A low vibration went through the Atera. “What was that?” Rixby said.
“The ship’s sensors are picking up a disturbance in the space around your fleet, Eckhart,” Dallas told him. “It’s affecting the whole fleet…and the gang fleets, too.”
Another deeper, louder tremor rocked the ship. This one jolted the Atera harder to one side, and a few Velocities skidded on the landing platform.
Rixby squealed and toppled over sideways. She would have bowled across the platform if Bing didn’t catch her in time.
“The fleet is under attack!” Dallas called. “The Kestera and the Eotera are both taking hits!”
“Who’s attacking us?” Eckhart yelled over the noise.
“I’m not sure! The Eotera is taking damage to the Triorium drive.”
Eckhart wheeled back to the three gang leaders. “Get back to your fleets. I’ll contact you from the bridge and we’ll—”
A deafening crash struck the ship and pitched everyone ass over tea kettle. They tumbled into the wall and landed in a confused heap.
Eckhart pried himself out of the stack. “Get off the Atera! If whoever it is wants to target me, they might leave you alone.”
“There’s only one group that would attack you, Eckhart,” Innyria replied.
“That’s impossible!” Rixby said. “We’d know if anyone came near enough to attack us.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Eckhart pushed the three gang leaders away. “Go! Get back to your fleets. I’ll let you know if we’re going out to fight anyone.”
The three men rushed away. Eckhart turned to the others, but before he could tell them what to do, Dallas broke out of line. He stomped onto the platform on his way to the hatch, where Innyria and Chemorix were already launching.
Eckhart thrust out his hand to stop Dallas, but it was already too late. Dallas activated his jet thrusters, took off, and zoomed out into space.
The elevator whisking open made Eckhart turn around. He got in with the others and they rode up to the bridge.
Rixby scrambled onto the podium at Eckhart’s side. “What’s the situation? Who’s attacking us?”
“No one,” she peeped. “There’s no one there.”
Another crushing slam answered her. An invisible wave caught the Atera and hurled it sideways into the Kestera. The two ships crashed into each other with an ear-splitting concussion. Then they ripped apart with a gut-wrenching tear of metal pulling away from metal.
More concussions and slams struck the rest of the ships collected in Eckhart’s fleet. They tossed into each other, and parts ripped away from hulls all over the field.
“What the hell is going on?” Eckhart called. “There must be something there.”
“Something’s causing a disruption in the fabric of space. I can’t pick up anything there, but something’s definitely moving the ships around.”
Eckhart stared down at the controls in front of him. He didn’t see anything there but all the ships in his fleet hurtling this way and that. Some invisible hand flung them in all directions.
Dallas whizzed off the Atera’s landing platform in front of Eckhart’s eyes. He zoomed in front of the Atera, but there was no one there to fight.
The mysterious force caught him in its grip and hurled him hard against the Eotera. His armor clanged into the hull, and he somersaulted away. He righted himself in space between the Atera and the Kestera and hovered there, looking around at the chaos unfolding.
“The Regiment is doing this,” Eckhart murmured.
Rixby looked up. “They are? How? We’re hundreds of parsecs away.”
“I don’t know how they’re doing it, but it’s the only explanation.” He attacked the controls. “All ships—make tracks for the Regiment—full assault! Jackal Clan—Immortals—Chosen—now’s your chance to assault the Regiment. Converge into one fleet and make for the Keilara system—maximum speed.”
“It’s about time,” Chemorix growled.
“Dallas…”
“I’m with you,” Dallas replied through the ship’s communications system. “I can fly on my own. I’ll meet you there.”
All three gang fleets launched at the same time. Eckhart seized the Atera’s helm and throttled the battlecruiser to full speed. The Atera took off with the rest of Eckhart’s fleet, and in a second, the whole alien horde raced away in a blinding streak.
The alien horde plunged into the Keilara solar system. The Regiment line hadn’t moved an inch. Everything looked dark and quiet over there.
“I sure hope you’re right about this, man,” Eckhart muttered.
“I am,” Dallas replied through the communications system. “You remember your promise, Eckhart.”
Rixby looked up. “What promise?”
“Nothing. All ships—attack!”
The four alien fleets closed on all sides. They surrounded the Regiment in a giant whirling, flickering cloud of weapons exploding and plasma venting into space.
“Work in from the outside,” Dallas instructed. “I’ll take the Stormbreakers.”
Rixby looked up at Eckhart again, and he nodded. “Do it. Namol, bring your people in from the left. Chemorix, you take the right. Innyria…”
Eckhart broke off. Innyria was already coordinating the Immortals group to wheel behind the Regiment and come at the line from behind.
The Immortals parted into two streaming torrents of hundreds of ships. They split to target the Regiment line extended on both sides.
“Let’s go!” Eckhart ordered. “Eotera—follow Dallas!”
Dallas tilted toward the Stormbreakers and fired his jet thrusters. A blaze of igniting Datrium flared from his feet. It burned much brighter and hotter than ever before, and he rocketed toward the Stormbreakers.
The alien horde closed on the line’s outer edges, and hundreds of ships opened fire. They shot with lasers, plasma, and dozens of other weapons.
Nothing scratched the Regiment hulls until Dallas got within range of the Stormbreakers. The combined laser beams of all seven battleships flashed into the night sky, joined, and nailed Dallas in all its epic power.
It caught him in midflight and stopped Dallas in his tracks. He struggled against it, but he couldn’t move.
“Dallas!” Rixby squealed, but Eckhart was too busy to respond. The split wings of the alien army struck the Regiment’s outermost ships, and their weapons hit home.
Banshees and a few Colossuses exploded in fire. The sight set the aliens off, and they attacked even more ferociously. They closed their net tighter, and all three gangs started gnawing their way through the line toward the center.
Rixby grabbed Eckhart’s arm. “You have to help Dallas! You have to get him out of there! The Stormbreakers will destroy him.”
Eckhart did his best to ignore her. He didn’t want to look at Dallas, or he might forget his promise. He gunned the Atera’s engines, and the rest of his fleet laid into the Regiment from the front.
Rixby yanked harder at his elbow. “Eckhart! You have to save Dallas! You can’t leave him out there to die!”
Her insistent tugs interfered with his steering. He jerked his arm out of her grasp and concentrated everything on targeting the Regiment.
The Immortals wings raced between the Banshees, decimating their numbers by the dozen. The Banshees tried to break out of line and return fire, but they obviously weren’t expecting anyone to penetrate their protective field.
Crushing thumps boomed out of the Stormbreakers. The same space distortions rocked the battle, throwing every ship off course. Banshees crashed into their Colossus neighbors, but the aliens adjusted to the new conditions.
Innyria’s two split wings circled back to the rear and joined up into a river of ships. They dove headlong into the Regiment position, veered dangerously close to the Stormbreakers and back outward, and caught the wave racing to the perimeter.
“Bring them to me!” Namol bellowed over the noise. “Bring the Banshees into our guns.”
“Bringing them in!” Innyria replied. “Take them!”
The Immortals plunged for the Banshees, destroyed dozens, and sent the rest fleeing straight into the Jackal Clan’s shots. Innyria’s second wing did the same thing with the Chosen on the other side. Exploding ships dotted the solar system on both ends of the Regiment line, but the Stormbreakers remained inviolate and untouchable.
Eckhart and the rest of his fleet concentrated their Triorium shots on the Colossuses. They huddled near the Stormbreakers, where that mysterious energy protected them.
It surrounded the Colossuses, but it couldn’t save the Banshees. Dallas must have drained too much energy from the Stormbreakers’ weapon.
Out of the mayhem, Dallas’ voice cracked over the communications system. “Now, Eckhart! Do it now!”
Eckhart slammed the Atera to full throttle and plunged for the Stormbreakers. Colossuses all over the field turned their guns on the battlecruiser.
They hammered the Triorium field with devastating shots, but Eckhart didn’t slow down. He smashed the throttle down, even with the ship already flying at full speed.
He streaked right up close to the central Stormbreaker and slammed the ship into reverse. He whipped the ship backward and unloaded every ounce of his Triorium on Dallas.
“No!” Rixby shrieked. She pounced on Eckhart’s hands, trying to rip them away from the controls.
He gritted his teeth, crushing the firing mechanism with all his strength as the ejection spouted from the Atera’s guns.
The moment the Triorium hit Dallas, the energy field around him combined with the Triorium and ignited a cataclysmic explosion. It detonated all over the field and enveloped not just the alien fleet but the whole Regiment position, too.
The blast ripped Dallas out of the beam and hurled all the alien ships far away into the next system.
Eckhart cartwheeled away from the command podium. Rixby screamed and he tried to grab her, but the blow tore her out of his reach.
He heard Clifton, DeWalt, Squids, and the rest of the bridge staff yelling and screaming in the background. They all pitched against the walls and then slammed down on the floor.
Eckhart peeled himself off the floor and limped back to the podium. He scrambled to get his brain working while he scanned the Keilara system.
The Regiment remained in exactly the same place, as inviolate as ever, but the alien attack had whittled their numbers down by at least half.
None of the Banshees remained. Forty Colossuses flanked the seven immovable Stormbreakers. Other than that, the Keilara system stood silent and still, as though none of these battles had ever taken place.
Eckhart searched the rest of the alien mob and let out a shaky sigh when he read all of them intact and accounted for. None of the gangs had suffered any losses. The explosion threw them all clear without damaging them.
Dallas hovered between the Kestera and the Eotera. He trained his optical lens toward the Regiment position, too, but he hadn’t taken any damage, either. The Atera’s controls read all his life signs as normal.
