Star Rising: Heartless (7 page)

“The Mordered hail from Atreyu, a planet not far from here. Despite being so close to the Bastion, they mostly keep to themselves.”

“So they like their privacy,” said Xalen, more defensively than he had hoped to sound. “Why would that be a reason to be careful around her?”

“You have to be careful because Mordered culture highly discourages their young from joining any faction that is not the Mordered Army. That is why you hardly see any Mordereds become Alioth.” Reave slid a door open and they walked into a long hallway filled with doors, each leading to a small office. Reave inclined his head as they passed the open doors. Beyond them sat women and men reading, writing, or scribbling on datapads. Xalen was certain these had to be the senseis’ offices. “Many of the Mordered who have become Alioths have later been revealed to be nothing but spies.”

Xalen remained quiet. Now he understood why many of the students had given him sidelong glances when he was with Nandi. “If the Mordered are as so untrustworthy, why are they still allowed here?”

“Sensei Kayos is not one to discriminate because of a people’s past. Besides, the Mordered are fearsome warriors. Their entire sense of belonging comes from war. In the battlefield, give me one Mordered warrior over ten regular humans.”

Xalen believed Reave. Nandi had certainly looked fearsome enough. But he couldn’t help but feel confused over the news he’d received. “Are you saying that I shouldn’t be friends with Nandi?”

“She gave you her name?” Reave’s eyebrow lifted. “You must have really made an impression on her. Mordereds rarely reveal their names at a first meeting.” He took a breath. “And no. I’m not telling you to not be her friend.”

“Good, because I wasn’t planning on listening if you asked that of me.” Xalen hoped he didn’t come off as disrespectful, but he needed to make it clear that he wasn’t about to let people make all his choices for him.

Reave smirked, and Xalen got the sense that the man approved of his insistence on befriending Nandi.

“I’m simply saying,” began Reave, “that you should be careful. Mordereds can be heartless beings. Friendship is not a word they necessarily recognize.”

“You would know about heartless all too well,” said a voice behind them. “Wouldn’t you, Reave?”

Xalen turned to face the voice, which belonged to a slender woman. At first glance, she seemed rather normal. But after a closer look, Xalen saw that normal was far from the right word to describe her. She had short, dark hair and the whitest skin he’d ever seen. Both her tank top and pants were a deep black. She sported a well-defined physique that was the obvious product of many years of combat training.

“Junia!” said Reave in something between a shriek and a scream. “I … I was under the impression that you were out on a mission.”

“Sorry to dis’point,” said Junia, smacking her tongue on her upper lip.

Xalen was astounded. Reave, the man who up until now had been calm and collected and that everyone had eyed with admiration and awe, now played with his fingers and bopped from side to side, unable to keep his feet in place. His face seemed to have increased five shades of red.

“Not disappointed, simply a little surprised. Sensei Kayos made no mention of you being here.”

“Why wouldn’t I be here? I’m a Sn’sei of Alioth.”

Reave and Xalen remained quiet.

“Of course,” continued Junia, baring her teeth. “I’d be su’prised too if I had left without b’thering to say goodbye.”

Reave exhaled. “Junia. I did not mean to—”

“To what?” interrupted Junia. “You didn’t mean to leave without saying goodbye? Didn’t mean to not contact me during the past five star cycles?”

“I sent you that note …”

Junia’s snow-white skin darkened into a deep crimson. Her blue eyes turned into marbles of black. Xalen stepped back a few paces. He might not have known much about Mordereds, but he knew Feehans quite well. The color of their eyes was a window into their emotions, and black wasn’t usually associated with happy thoughts.

“A note!” she fumed. “You think a measly note is enough to make up for your silence?” She didn’t wait for an answer. The woman stomped into her office and slammed the door.

Dust from the ceiling drifted over their heads. Then Xalen heard the thump of footsteps. From the many open doors in the hall, the heads of senseis emerged, curious as to the source of the commotion.

Reave clucked his tongue. “Let’s go.”

Xalen bit his lip. Every fiber of his body wanted to prod into the veteran Alioth’s past with Junia. Despite his natural curiosity, he remained quiet. He had a feeling that Reave would not appreciate any questions about his private life.

The walk to the door at the end of the hall was a quiet one. When they reached the blue door, the man faced him. Xalen made a conscious effort to not stare at the shriveled, burnt skin that seemed to beckon his eyes.

“This is where we part,” said Reave, his voice low.

“Part?”

“Yes. There’ve been reports of Black Sanction sightings on a moon not far from here. I must look into it.”

“By yourself?”

“I always work alone.”

“But—”

“But nothing. You have your own tasks to worry about, don’t fret about mine.”

“Yes, sir.”

Nodding, Reave turned and spoke without looking back. “Don’t let me down. Everything you do reflects on me.”

Xalen watched him go, not entirely sure what to make of the man’s last words. Before he could ponder too much on them, the door swung open. Sensei Kayos stood there, her shaky figure looking up at him.

“Come in, my boy.”

Reave followed the slow woman into a small office. The room was mostly empty, with only a blue carpet on the floor and a few trinkets dangling from the ceiling.

“Please, take a seat,” said Kayos. She sat on the carpet and crossed her legs.

Taking this as a cue to do the same, Xalen took a seat on the carpet, which was much softer than it looked.

Kayos wasted no time. Her beady eyes narrowed as she rested her hands on her lap. She breathed heavily, as if the menial task of talking was too daunting. “Your time in Alioth won’t be easy. You’re coming in late. Very late. Had it not been for the respect I have for Reave, I would have never allowed someone so inexperienced to attend this dojo.”

“Thanks, er… I guess.” Had Reave not told her about his training? “I’m not totally new. I have taught myself the sword and have read many books on dueling styles, tactics, and strategies.”

The elderly lady arched an eyebrow. Xalen couldn’t tell if the woman was pleasantly shocked by this revelation or unimpressed. He had a feeling it was the latter. “In a week you’ll attend the trials. You will be expected to keep up with your fellow classmates.”

“Of course,” said Xalen. He wouldn’t have it any other way. Watching and learning from his classmates in the field was a sure way of helping him quickly improve. At least that’s what he hoped.

The woman’s face grew stern. “I hope you’re ready. These are turbulent times we’re living in. Deargs are attacking towns throughout the galaxy, and the Black Sanction is poised to make a move, I’m certain of it.

Xalen couldn’t hold his curiosity any longer. “What is it about the Black Sanction that makes it such a threat? The people back at the market where I came from called its members heroes.”

“Did you come from a human planet?”

“A human city,” he answered.

“Well, I suspect you have your answer. The Black Sanction cares only about human interests; they care nothing of the other races. If it means the survival of humanity, they would gladly sacrifice everyone else in the galaxy. It is because of this that many humans have come to see them as the heroes, but I guarantee you, they are nothing of the sort.”

“Why do you say that, Sensei?”

“Isn’t it obvious? They’re terrorists. Furthermore, every member of the Black Sanction possess an energy ability.”

“Many people have energy abilities,” said Xalen, his lips twisting in confusion. “That’s no crime.”

“It is a crime when those abilities are stolen.”

Stolen?
Xalen was more confused than ever.

The woman took a deep, wheezy breath. She fell into a violent fit of coughing before finally getting control of herself. “They murder beings who are born with energy abilities and transfer that ability to themselves.”

“How? I would have thought that impossible.”

“I assure you, it is not impossible. The only thing we don’t know is how they do it.”

The boy’s hand subconsciously travelled to his chest. The entire situation sounded eerily similar. Images of a fateful night back on Vintra flashed through his head. He felt the heat of the campfire as he and Rund sat beside it. He recalled the screams as the flames reached out to him. No, not to him, but into him. They travelled into his chest. The device within him had turned a deep red, easily visible through the skin.

“Young man?”

Xalen shook his head, the forest disappeared, giving way to the musky office. “Yes, yes.” He tried to calm his breaths. Though this revelation had visibly put him on edge.

“I know that you possess a similar ability. It is because of this, that before I can accept you into Alioth, you must understand that you will serve
all
the races, not just humans. And more importantly.” Her brown eyes met his. “You must never seek out the Black Sanction. You may think they may have some answers as to your own past, but I assure you that is not the case.”

There was a moment of silence. He thought back to the countless hours he’d spent thinking of his past and strange ability. Then he said what the woman wanted to hear, “I will not seek out the Black Sanction.” Even as he said the words though, he wasn’t convinced he would honor them.

Chapter 5

Beatrix stared out the window. Her eyes closed and opened rapidly as she struggled to accept what she was seeing. She should back at home, hunting Antlans through the deep forest, or honing her sword skills in the training pit. But instead she was aboard a Bastion ship, gazing blankly out the window, her eyes settling on distant swirling blue gasses. In each corner of the square vessel stood an armed Bastion soldier. As if the elderly folk and children possessed an actual threat. Most of her people sat on two long, cushioned seats that were bolted, back to back, to the floor.

A hand landed on her shoulder.

“Beatrix,” came her mother’s muffled voice.

The young girl turned slowly. Her mother held her hands up, a bowl of white oatmeal resting in her palms. “Eat, Beatrix. We have many hours left in the voyage. You need your strength.”

The girl took a whiff of the creamy concoction and her stomach growled. She was beyond hungry. But she wasn’t about to take anything from the Bastion. She might not have her father or her land, but she still had her Palek pride. “I’m not hungry.”

Her mother rolled her eyes. “C’mon, Beatrix. Don’t do this. You haven’t eaten since we left. You have to eat.”

“I said I’m not hungry,” she said with finality. She had no interest in getting in an argument, but she knew her father would have never taken handouts from the Bastion, and she was would not dishonor her papa by stomping on his memory. She was her father’s daughter, after all.

Her mother began to speak, but she didn’t finish. A sudden screeching blast rang in her ear, followed by a tremor that reverberated through the hull of the ship.

Beatrix barely had enough time to recognize the screeches as the result of beeping bombs, when the lights of the ship went completely black. The deep blue emergency lights burst on, covering the ship in a dark tint. The hum of the engines died out, replaced by the ragged breathing of the scared passengers

“What’s going on?” demanded a voice that Beatrix assumed belonged to one of the guards.

“Someone just hit us with a beeping bomb,” mumbled the pilot, disbelief in his voice. “I don’t know how. There were no readings on the scanners of another ship.”

“Bastion vessel,” boomed a deep voice from all around them. Whoever their attackers were, they had also hacked into the ship’s communicator. “We have linked ourselves to your hatch. Put down your hatch and prepare to be boarded.”

“This is an official Bastion vessel,” countered the pilot. “An attack on it is punishable by death.”

“Save me the speech, Bastion dog,” countered the voice. It held no tone of anger or accusation, only a monotone sternness that made it clear that the man on the other side of the speaker was not one to be meddled with. “I know full well who your masters are. Now put down your hatch and prepare to be boarded.” There was a brief moment of silence. “Do it not, and I will blast your ship into a thousand pieces.”

Beatrix quickly recognized this as an empty threat. Whoever their attackers were, they had no intention of killing them. Why else would they go through the trouble of disabling the ship and hacking the communicator, but leaving life support intact? No. These people had more in mind than simply killing them, of that she was certain.

Apparently she was the only one who had come to this conclusion.

“We can’t let them in, they will kill us all if we do,” said the guard. “The hatch is the most encoded part of the ship. They won’t be able to hack it before Bastion reinforcements arrive.”

“We’ll be space dust by then,” squealed the pilot, fear in his voice. “I’m going to open the hatch. It’s the only chance we got.”

No one argued with him this time.

Beatrix held her breath as the pilot pressed a button on his navigational panel. A second later there was a loud whine as the gray hatch slid open. She was now staring at three human figures, two males and one female. The two men could pass as twins. They were both tall and lanky with oversized noses and bushy brown hair. Their skin looked leathery. The only visible difference between the two ugly men was that one had a grimy mustache, while the other did not. The woman, on the other hand, was much shorter. She had thin lips and short hair that ended a little below her shoulders. All three wore long blue trench coats over their clothing. Beatrix’s eyes looked past that, settling on the metaton arms they all possessed. She’d heard many stories of energy users, but she had never actually seen one.

The female pirate lifted her metal hand as it grew red in color. “Put your weapons down,” she ordered. “Or I’ll turn you all to a crisp.”

Before she had even finished voicing her threat, the guards had already placed their blasters on the floor.

“Now, face down on the floor and don’t look up,” added the mustached pirate. He aimed his metallic hand, which was crackling with yellow lightning, at the guards. “You wouldn’t want me to
accidentally
release a burst of energy.”

The trembling guards refrained from saying a word.

“What do you want with us?” asked Beatrix. Questioning murderous pirates probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but her mind often moved faster than her common sense. Besides, she had no intention of cowering like the guards were doing. If she was going to die, she was going to do so on her feet.

“We got a feisty one here,” said the mustached pirate. With his crackling hand pointed at her chest, he moved towards her and reached for her hair.

Disgusted at having his oily hand on her, Beatrix batted his weaponized arm away.

Two screams followed. One belonged to Beatrix’s hysterical mother, who couldn’t believe her daughter had just slapped away the weapon without fear of retaliation. The other scream was one of low rage emitting from the pirate.

“How dare you?” His metallic hand shot up once more. “I will teach you to—”

“Jesemiah!” thundered a deep voice.

The mustached pirate’s face froze. From within the tunnel that connected the vessels, a tall man, who looked to be a few cycles her elder, emerged. He had a squared chin covered by dark stubble. His right eye was a clear green. Like the other pirates, he wore a long trench coat over a white shirt and blue pants, though his coat was a dark brown instead of the blue the others wore. His left eye was a deep red marble that was surrounded by a square of gray metal.

Beatrix took an uneasy step back.
Metaton eye?
She’d never heard of such a thing.

“What are you doing?” demanded the newcomer.

“N…nothing, Captain Gavin,” stuttered Jesemiah. His stance went rigid.

“I sincerely hope it was nothing,” said Gavin. His multi-colored eyes scanned the room. His gaze fell on Beatrix, and she felt her face grow red. Luckily, he looked away quickly. “We’re here to help these people, not attack them.”

“Of course,” mumbled Jesemiah.

“How is holding us at gunpoint helping us?” said Beatrix, attempting to regain her composure. “These people…” she motioned at the frightened elderly, women, and children behind her, “have already gone through enough. They don’t need to be harassed by pirates.”

“Shhhhh…” said her mother from behind her.

Gavin smiled at Beatrix. Despite the sudden weakening of her knees, she remained ramrod straight.

“Right you are,” agreed Gavin. “The Palek have gone through a lot lately. It wasn’t enough for the Bastion Council that your people were nearly wiped out defending the galaxy. They had to go and forcefully take your land from you. And why? Simply because you’ve had no Dearg attacks?” He shook his head disapprovingly. “Instead of going after the root of the problem and eliminating the Deargs at the source, they uprooted an entire clan.”

“Am I supposed to be impressed? Anyone could have gotten that information from the newscarrier.” But she was, in fact, impressed. The fact that the Deargs had not appeared on Palek was a closely guarded secret, known only to the citizens of the planet and the Bastion Council. If the entire universe knew, there would have been a massive migration to the planet years ago. Whoever this man was, he was obviously well informed. Knowing this sensitive information hinted at him, perhaps, having connections in the Bastion.

“No. Not impressed. Simply grateful that someone cares enough for your people to hold up a Bastion ship in the middle of an official navigation route.”

“Why would you help us?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” countered Gavin. “Like you, I know all too well the injustices the Bastion is capable of. We’re here to set you free. To take you to a place where the Bastion won’t be able to torment you anymore.”

“And where is that?” asked Beatrix’s mother, finding her courage. “There is nowhere in the Noble Ring that the Bastion can’t find us. They have their Alioths everywhere.”

“That’s why we don’t call the Noble Ring our home.”

Beatrix’s mother’s hand reached her chest. She took a long gasp. “The Outer Ring?” It took her a few seconds to find her voice again. “You would have us live in that lawless territory where slavers, criminals, murderers, bounty hunters, and pirates roam freely. Why don’t you just kill us now?”

Gavin’s soft smirk made it obvious he took the woman’s fears lightly. “I assure you, my lady. As long as you’re with us, the Outer Ring poses no danger.”

“Says the pirate.”

Beatrix moved protectively in front of her mother. She was certain that Gavin would not take this insult in stride. To her surprise, the captain didn’t make a move. Instead, he looked at the Palek people and said, “Come with us. The Bastion dogs will be here soon. I’m certain that many of you would rather be free with us, than live as prisoners of the Bastion.”

Beatrix was dealt with another shock as the Palek gazed down at the floor, ignoring the captain’s pleas. Her people might have consisted of elderly folk and children, but they were still Palek. Where was their adventurous spirit? Their sense of defiance against tyranny?

“I knew this was a waste of time,” grunted Jesemiah. “Lousy, good-for-nothings Paleks have no fighting spirit.”

Before Beatrix thought it through, she reached for her sword. In one fluid movement, she rammed her elbow against Jesemiah’s chest, tossing him across the wall, and brought the tip of her sword to his neck.

“Don’t you ever speak like that of my people,” she ordered, her frame shaking.

Jesemiah’s companions, the female and male, pointed their metatons at Beatrix, but she didn’t care. She was fine with dying, as long as she took this blasphemous fool with her.

“Kill her. She bled me!” thundered the pirate. Indeed, dark crimson blood was now flowing from his nose.

The shots did not come, however.

“Whose fault is that?” asked the captain. He nodded approvingly at Beatrix. “It looks like the Palek’s fighting spirit is alive and well.”

The injured pirate gritted his teeth. “But… but…”

“But nothing,” finished Gavin. “You will honor your new sister.” He looked at the two other pirates. “Put your arms down.”

Beatrix understood what had just happened. Gavin knew, even before she herself did, that she was going to join them.

“My daughter is not going anywhere,” said the older woman, doubt in her voice. A shaky hand landed on Beatrix’s shoulder. “You’re not going with them, right?”

The young girl swallowed hard. She loved her mother, this much she knew, but she also knew that she could no longer stand by idly as her people were tossed aside by the Bastion. She turned to the woman who had seen her grow from a freckle-faced little girl to the woman she was today.

“I have to go,” said Beatrix.

“How can you do this? To your people. To your father!”

Beatrix swallowed the lump on her throat. “I’m doing this for my people.”

“No!” Not since that gray morning when her father had left with the small Palek army, never to return, did Beatrix recall her mother be this firm. Her entire body shook and her voice quivered, but she stood her ground. Perhaps there was hope for her after all.

“I’m leaving,” said Beatrix. She sheathed her weapon and took a step away from her.

She loved her mother. Her mother had always been there for her, protecting her from the evils of the world. But now it was her mother who was holding her back; Beatrix had outgrown her care.

“Come back here!” cried the woman.

Beatrix trudged into the connection tunnel. She didn’t look back, for if she turned and gazed into those tired eyes, she feared she might not go through with leaving.

“Beatrix.” The voice that had been full of anger, now turned pleading. “Get back here. If…If…if you leave you will never be welcome back as my daughter ever again…”

Beatrix stopped. Her heartbeat thumped in her ears, and for a split second there was only silence. The words of her father came alive within her.
It is where my father’s father, and his father’s father lived out their life. And it is where you will one day raise your family. We must cherish it and protect it.

“So be it, Mother,” she said. With those last words she walked into the pirate vessel, leaving behind the loud wails of her hysterical mother.