Defender of the Empire: Cadet #1 (30 page)

             
The Avrens built glittering ice crystal cities upon the backs of large, sedate floating creatures that gave a whole new meaning to ‘huge’. According to my class on the various Prime Worlds, the Avrens developed a symbiotic relationship with the giant creatures they called La’vien. The rest of the empire uses the word ‘Leviathan’. The La’vien were fed and cleaned by the Avrens. With their basic needs seen to, the La’vien were perfectly content to carry cities on their backs.

             
Avana, being a giant herself, was also attended by smaller bodies. In attendance were two medium sized moons and one large moon. They orbited through the dusty and fragmented rings that surrounded Avana. Closest to Avana was either fiery Carvo or icy Tress. It was either because the two moon’s orbits crossed at times. So depending on the season, Tress was closest. Other times it was Carvo. The Avren calendar kept track of the moon cycle.

             
Farther out, beyond the chance of crossing paths, was Nem. Nem was the largest moon. Large enough to have a thin atmosphere of its own. All three moons were geologically active due to tidal heating cause by the force exerted by Avana. Tress and Carvo got an extra squeezing from Nem playing tug-of-war with the mother planet.

             
Our target was Nem as its somewhat stable surface was more agreeable for building a beacon then its siblings.

              A few minutes later, Westley guided the LFA toward Nem. As per protocol Westley radioed in to the Prime World’s local Legion Fleet base, informing them of our mission. As if they didn’t already know, but as I said ‘per protocol.

             
“I wonder why they made it protocol?” M. Kit wondered.

             
PROBABLY SO THEY WOULDN’T FEEL LIKE PEOPLE WERE STICKING THEIR UNWANTED NOSES IN THEIR BUSINESS. Scrae muttered. COMPUTERS INCLUDED. The last was only marginally softer. And honestly… this was happening in my head now?

             
Of course it was.
I thought as M. Kit replied to Scrae in an affronted tone. “Computers do not have noses.” M. Kit pointed out. “Besides, it is a computer’s directive to gather and compute information.”

             
YOU MAKE IT SOUND LIKE HAVING NOSES IS A BAD THING. Luna said joining into the argument.

             
My eyes narrowed. I might be their safety raft, but there was only so much I could take.
Guys, seriously? You are arguing about this stupidity? I don’t need this right now. My life is about to be decided so grow the hell up or shut up.
I thought harshly at the Spectrals and yes, perhaps it was an overreaction but I was getting a headache. At least, that was how I was justifying it. 
And M. Kit, the protocol is probably there so they can be sure that we are who we say we are and not someone who commandeered an LFA and are making the system vulnerable.
I answered. I then turned my attention to the answer Westley got.

             
“Congratulations for completing the first step of arriving, 1
st
Cadet Trin.” The station receiver answered over the com. He sounded genuine. “Let me be the first to welcome you to the Avana System.  Good luck up there.”

             
“Thanks Station.  We’ll try not to make too much of a mess.” Westley said with a smile.

             
The man laughed. “See that you don’t, cadets.” He continued addressing all of us humor still coloring his tone.

             
Marius chuckled. “Well we’ve been told.” He looked back at Jason and me. “I’ll admit, I am considering not to resist my voluntary tourettes and leave a little mess for them so they will remember us fondly.”

             
I rolled my eyes and Westley shook his head as Jason reprimanded Marius. “We want to succeed, Marius. I don’t want to fail simply because you left a mess.”

             
“We wouldn’t fail.” Marius replied. “We would complete our mission. I would just leave some graffiti or something along that line.”

             
“With what?” I asked.

             
Marius threw me a look. “I’m always prepared for any contingency.” The rest of us snorted.

             
“There it is.” Westley said. Out the forward viewer I could see Nem grow larger and larger. Before I knew it Westley was guiding the craft into the atmosphere. My knuckles went white as I clutched the armrests of my flight chair as our little Arrow was buffeted on entry. “Sorry about the bumpy ride.” Westley said after the major jostling died down. “The beacon shouldn’t be too far from here.” He commented.

             
Marius checked his computer and nodded. “I see it on sensors. It’s a couple clicks to the south west.”

             
Westley nodded and veered the ship in that direction. I couldn’t take my eyes from the front viewer. This was the third world I had ever seen. The fact that it was a moon didn’t matter to me. It was not Colony Lenti or even Prima Imperium. It was the dusty, wind carved landscape of Nem. And pretty soon, as Marius had told us, I got my first actual look at a Beacon node. It had been built into a mountain near the top but sheltered from the worst of the winds. The building itself looked like a metal igloo with a spire sticking out of the top of it. At the top of the spire flashed a red light. “Let’s get this done.”  Westley said. Jason, Marius and I voiced our agreement and a moment later the ship landed with a slight bounce. A second rock let us all know that the landing pad had anchored the ship in place. It wouldn’t do to have it blow away.

             
At a word from Westley we put the helmets of our suites over our heads and secured them. A quick hiss informed me that I had correctly sealed mine. Then in a little line we headed for the door. Westley first, Jason, myself, and finally Marius.

I had the strangest feeling as we disembarked from the LFA. It might have been due to the smallness of the pad over a very long fall. It might have been because of the narrow walk between the pad and the igloo. Maybe it was because of the wind, which was strong despite the mountain we had as a wind block, which buffeted us as we traversed the narrow walk. Sure, the suits had a sticky-feet feature that would, once engaged, keep us from losing our grip on something. But it was technology and the Universe hates me. Or maybe that strange feeling of unease was caused by something I had no name for. Something I hadn’t prepared for and even if I had it wouldn’t mean a damn thing because this was real life and life had a way of surprising you. Sometimes in a good way, other times… well, you know.

             
Westley tapped in the code to get us off the dizzying heights and into the Beacon so we could do what we came here to do. Stepping inside I had to pause a moment to give my brain a moment to rationalize what it was seeing. Apparently, the Legion Fleet believed in deceiving appearances because what had looked like a small igloo on the outside was not reflected on the inside. Yes there was the igloo shape, but it was a much bigger complex than the outside appearance would have you believe.

             
Just inside the door was a scanner that identified you and made sure that you were, in fact, supposed to and had clearance to be there. One would think that those two would be synonymous, but apparently some programmer had been especially paranoid. Either way, all four of us had to endure the scan.  Interestingly, at least to me, was that all it did was ask us in a peppy computer voice to stand still as a light ring rose out of the floor to just above head level then back down. It would be silent during the process and the only indication that we had passed had been a green light and the door to the inner sanctum of the Beacon opening. I would have thought it would have identified each of us, but it hadn’t.

             
“Is that normal?” I asked over the sound of the wind humming around the inside of the main part of the complex, which as I had mentioned earlier was larger than the outside would indicate. At least by being a cavernous space that was easily twice what the outside would appear capable of concealing. In the middle was the Beacon apparatus itself. It looked like a crystal formation… if crystal formations came with various computer stations.

             
“Is what normal?” Jason asked looking about the room.

             
“The computer not identifying us.” I clarified a little distractedly as I tried to rationalize why the Legion Fleet would build something with a hole at the top around the signal spire. Westley and Marius shared a glance with me, clearly they were troubled by it too.

             
Jason shrugged. “It happens sometimes, though I’ll make sure to fix it before we leave.” He said “I am more concerned about the leak in the casing. The equipment in here is fragile. A stray bit of dust in the wrong spot could damage something. And if not that, the wind could find a resonance that would shatter the signal boosting crystal.” He said, which made that uneasy feeling from earlier intensify. There was something just
off
about the whole situation.

             
Not seeing what made the situation off, other than the symptoms of it, I decided that we needed to do what we came to do and get back on the ship and away as fast as we could. In fact, I wanted to skip step one and go back to the ship. Two facts kept me from doing so; the first was I had no way to explain the feeling. Second, the various beings who decided my brain made a good debate floor must have finally driven me over the abyss of insanity. I was leaning toward the latter being the biggest motivator because I usually listened to my gut instead walking to the apparatus. My only salute to sanity being that I did so warily.

             
A moment later, I wondered at the insanity of the builders of the Beacon. Why on any planet would you build something like this in the middle of a huge room with plenty of space to maneuver but nowhere to hide?

I didn’t bother to note how hi
story seemed to enjoy repeating itself.

             
“I thought we were the only ones who were supposed to check up on this thing.” I observed as I stared at a hole that had suddenly appeared in the wall. There had been no explosion. It just appeared. I figured that it must have been hidden by a cloak of some kind.

             
“We are. Why?” Jason asked as he and Westley worked feverishly to make sure the code was as it should be. Neither had seen what I had.

             
But Marius soon did as his colorful swearing affirmed. It had the other two looking up to see the many tall gray Telmick giants pouring out of the hole that had just appeared. “Because we appear to have a pest problem.” I said needlessly.

Chapter 23 – The Mercenaries

              Moon or planet, it no longer mattered where I was. I could have been standing before the emperor and it wouldn’t have mattered. I was mentally back on Colony Lenti. Aunt Sylvie’s house had been destroyed the day before and now the Telmicks were running down the streets in what looked like chaos but was in truth a deadly formation. 

             
Humans didn’t have a chance against Telmick strength. Only someone the size and strength of a bear could stand a chance… but humans didn’t come like that. Nanites from Swava could help… but I didn’t think anyone had strength enhancing nanites… or any nanites other than the medical variety... My fear ratcheted up a notch and I could feel my fingers tingling.

             
RYLYNN! REMEMBER WHAT YOUR AUNT SAID? Luna whispered quickly. I blinked and Lenti’s streets receded as the wolf’s unexpected words cut through my panic.

             
I need to admit that I am afraid, then push it aside to do what needs to be done.
I replied mentally.

             
YES, NOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? Luna asked.

             
Right.
I thought. The Telmicks were pouring out of the hole like a bunch of disturbed cockroaches. But instead of approaching us, they were fanning out. It was like they were wary of us, which was weird considering the difference in size and strength.

             
They had the advantage. Why were they waiting?

             
As a group we gathered closer to the Beacon. It was the only cover we had, not that it would do us much good soon as they would be able to flank us.

             
“I’m going to guess it’s too much to hope that they are just here to say ‘hi’.” Jason muttered.

             
“That would depend on what your definition of ‘hi’ is.” Marius replied dryly.

             
Jason snorted and his fingers flew feverishly over the key board. “I’m sending a distress signal.”

             
“Be quick about it. I don’t like the way they are just standing there.” I muttered.

             
“I thought it was a good thing they weren’t coming any closer.” Jason said.

             
I didn’t bother to answer. I didn’t need to because the older boys were taking care of it. “Quit talking and maybe we will get that signal out before all hell breaks loose.” Westley muttered.