Hair of the Wolf: Open for Business 2(split)

[-Vengeance-]

Wolf and I walked down to the eatery. Monkeys could put out quite a spread and I never minded a hearty meal before a hearty battle. It was like an appetizer.

As I walked my mind kept drifting back to the dreams. They were so strange. So real. It was always me but it wasn't me. Ever have a dream where you were you but different? Like you're in your house but it look different? Like you're with your wife or girlfriend and she's the same but when you look at her she looks different? That's how it was. But it was like I didn't know it was different. The fact that I kept going back to the same dream was the weirdest part of all.

I thought about the first one I had right after getting to Primus. "Excellent" echoed through my head. And the Order pilot. And the obviously different Nomad the others deferred to. What could it all mean? I dreaded the dreams. Yet in a bizarre way they attracted me at the same time.

We arrived at breakfast. Zeb was there and Pyro too. Zeb's plate was piled high and he was attacking it with the same fury he attacked an enemy ship. The thought made me smile. I watched as his fork spun around for another multi-pronged assault on the hash browns’ stronghold then tractor in the booty. While he demolished that bite his knife labored in a desperate but futile attempt at damage control as it tidied up the pile for another strike. I was fascinated. He torpedoed a sausage. Its hull ruptured and split in two, then disappeared into the black hole. I mused that even light might not escape its gravity well as concern for my own safety crossed my mind. I forced myself to detach from the scene of the grisly onslaught knowing the entire enemy fleet was doomed to annihilation. There would be no survivors.

Wolf and I returned to the table with our comparatively light meals. Pyro filled us in on Seraphear’s brush with death and his condition. Seemed he was headed over to Gammu today if he wasn’t gone already. I asked about the gauntlet and learned it was apparently destroyed in the aftermath of the episode. Somehow that made me feel a deep disappointment bordering on anger. I grabbed hold of that feeling, turned it over in my mind, examining it from all perspectives. My inspection offered no clues as to where it had come from.

“You ok?” Wolf interrupted my introspection.

“Huh? Oh yeah, just something he said got me to thinking. That gauntlet. It’s important. I just get the feeling.”

“Well, it’s gone now so no matter,” Pyro said. “We have more important things on our mind. I hear the Nomads are massing somewhere. In fact, a lot of somewheres. No one knows what’s going on but the rumor mill is working overtime trying to fill in the gaps.”

The briefing was in 20 minutes. “I suppose we’ll find out soon enough…” Wolf said.

”Mmmph” Zeb replied with a wave of his fork.

[Zebulon]

One hour till the briefing.  Zeb stepped into the viewing gallery that looked down into the operating theatre.

The Monkey surgeons were watching the technology at work. Surgeon Z391/224 was attaching the cortex nodes to Seraphear's nerve connections.  The arm was not the metal construct that Zeb would have expected. The bone looked like bone. Same shape, same colour.  The only giveaway that it was a prosthetic was the electrical cords and the musclature that looked definately synthetic.  Dr Albert Blueface spoke to Zeb.

"oook. He will be fine. We are assisting with the anethsetic.  Robots can be a little careless with organics, which is ok under emergency conditions. ook? But we prefer to be in control of the patient's life signs when we can. Thankfully the Robots can appreciate the logic of this. There should be a 45% improvement in dexterity for your friend."

Zeb nodded. "Thanks Doc."

"You sure you dont want one fitted?" asked the doctor.  Zeb swore he was wearing what passed for a grin on a Baboon.

"Not a chance Doc! Only if I get wheeled in here in bits, then you fix what you can. Till then, I'll stick with my organics."

Zeb was hungry and breakfast was next on the agenda. "Hash browns. Eggs. Sausage. That'll do it." he thought. He made his way to the refectory.
----------------------------------------------------------------@oOo@---------------------------------------------------------------------

Ralph Anderson looked puzzled.  The message had been quite clear.  It was from Zeb.  It read:

"Go to Crete and await my instructions.  The FTP will be in touch via Pyro and some of his associates. I have an assurance from the Corsairs that they are prepared to help out with all the resources they can muster. Play it cool as they are a little concerned that the Law might try to interfere and screw things up.   I want you and the rest of the A wing to be on standby from Crete. Don't worry about Omega 3 and the routes, the traders and the B wing are on the lookout and they should be safe with a little help from some of our "friends".  There is someone on Crete that hasn't seen you for a while. Good luck and take care!"  - signed Zebulon Antarxes

Ralph looked up.  They were being approached by some rather well uniformed and turned out Corsairs. To be honest the whole setup here on Crete had surprised the AoF pilots as they were used to seeing the Corsairs in a more scruffier light.  These guys looked sharp.

As they got closer Ralph could not believe his eyes.  "Mikey!!" His brother hugged him and they shook hands.
"Why you devious little devil! How did you pull this off? Look at you, all uniformed and shiny!"  Ralph apraised his brothers uniform. "And your with the Angelus De la Guardia! Wow! I would never have guessed that you would have ended up here."

"Its a long story my brother, since our last meeting in Dublin much has changed. Have you heard from Andy?"

Both brothers looked at each other.  It had been a long time since they had all been together.

"No. At least not recently. He is tied in with all that corporate stuff. Doesnt get out much that I know off. Tends to hang around the New York system in the "Angry Wombat" when he does go out." said Ralph. "By the way, Machiko sends you her rememberances.  I dropped into the bar on the way here, just to make sure they were all ok. I never knew that you and Machi had a thing going! You are a sly one...!"

Mikey smiled. "Yes my brother and it has been a long time since. Corsair women can be very distracting. Just dont look too closely at their mothers...!"

They both laughed as they made their way to the spaceport exit. Ralph was glad that the others had taken on board the whole "dress up smart" message from Zeb. He must have known that this place would be a shock to them.  The boys were taking in all the architecture, cafes, bars, transports, women, men and the sheer size of the place.

Mikey addressed the party. "Welcome to Santiago de Compostela! The capital of Crete and all that Corsair society has to offer you!"

The view as astounding. Down from the spaceport the city spread through a green valley. Vast and ornately decorated "palaces" interspersed with green parks. High rise buildings of a corporate type and as far as the eye could see there were homes, gardens and an overall sense of wealth and well being.

As they made there way to their accomodation Ralph asked his brother, "Whats this all about Mikey?"

Mikey looked at him and sighed. "The calm before the storm my brother, calm before the storm....."

[Carnival]

I watched everyone tuck into their food will gusto. I still felt queasy from the previous nights drinking, and stories of Seraphear's grizzly episode had done nothing for my appetite.

"So, when are we gona stuck in?" I asked, taking a sip of my coffee. "I wana show some Nomads who not to mess with."

Vengeance looked over at me and grinned, glancing round the table to gauge the reaction at my brash statement.

"Yeah right." He took a huge bite of bacon and shook his head. "You'll be out before we even have time to count!"

Watchwolf and the others laughed as I took a potshot with a bacon rind on my plate. It flew past Vengeance and hit a silverback on the head, and the guys exploded with laughter.

"Sorry man! Sorry!" I gasped as the unhappy gorilla peeled the rind off his fur. "Won't happen again!"

"See? Can't hit a damn thing!" Vengeance laughed. "We'll be lucky if he doesn't destroy one of us!"

The table went quiet for a minute, then everyone started laughing again. I glanced round, and saw Seraphear approach. His new arm was held in a sling, and he looked pale and drawn. "Hey man, get over here. You look like you need some feeding!"

He wandered over and sat down next to Zebulon, exchanging a brief handshake with Pyro. He tucked into his breakfast and the conversation continued, turning to the briefing that was shortly to come....

[Erebus]

The Nomad, for lack of a better word… there is no way to express in words the “name” they had for themselves in human terms. Indeed, for a race who communicated primarily by means of telepathy punctuated my some verbalization when emotionally charged, the images and feelings communicated lacked any “words” by human standards to begin with. The Eclipse had been carefully bred, selected and trained for more interaction with the humans than any others. Part of that training was to learn ways of using “words” to augment the imagery of their native communication, much in the same way people learn a foreign language but infinitely more complex. The closest way to describe the way Nomads viewed themselves would be One. Nevertheless, for simplification of understanding it is best to express their actions and thoughts henceforth in our own terms.

The Nomad smiled as he watched the latest recruit led away for nourishment and orientation. The critical work had been successfully completed but there were details that needed refining. He turned toward the control room.

As he approached a shiver ran down his back. Innate reflexes brought his sidearm to his hand as he warily entered the room. The lights brightened . He turned, taking in the entire circle. Nothing was amiss. He shrugged and re-holstered his weapon.

He deactivated the power on all the panels and screens , looked over the room one last time and turned to leave. Again that presence was felt. And again he cast about, this time with every sense. He was certain he “heard” something, a whisper, a presence of fear and loathing. Again he brushed it off and departed in search of a drone to clean up the blood and residue of the day’s work.

[align=center]*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *[/align]

He watched in terror as the Nomad entered. He was certain he was doomed to death if not torture. When the lights brightened he shrank back against the stone and awaited his fate.

It did not come. The Nomad turned full circle with his weapon in its hand as if looking for him, then returned the gun to its holster. After turning off the equipment it headed for the doorway, but turned at the last moment to scan the room once more.

He almost cried out as the Nomad looked directly at him. As though in reaction to that, the Nomad took a step toward him. He clamped down on his thoughts with every bit of willpower he possessed and stood stock still. Slowly the Nomad turned and left the room.

He couldn’t see me! he thought. How can that be?

He sat back down on the edge of the stone slab and thought back on the last few days. He’d died in his ship, of that much he was certain. And he'd awoken here. Here instead of in the bar or latrine he usually found himself in when he respawned. And this time was far different than any time before.

He remembered the shocking feeling, like electricity jolting his entire body. The tearing feeling, like being ripped from the deepest sleep, from the most real of dreams. He remembered seeing the others clustered around the table, but nothing of the object of their attention. He’d no idea how he’d escaped their notice but he was grateful as he slipped out the door and fled into the nearest vacant room. There he’d remained until silence told him everyone was gone.

He’d searched the area as far as he dared but found no other people. He was definitely alone. He remembered being surprised as the night passed that he was not hungry, but pushed that aside as a product of stress and anxiety. However he did feel infinitely tired, even to the point of exhaustion. He found a room with a stone slab and slept.

Activity woke him with a start. A figure had passed by his room. Luck smiled upon him, he thought. He’d not been seen. He decided to follow the person, hoped to learn anything he could about where he was and a possible means of escape. He’d sidled along the wall to the end of the corridor. The quiet footsteps of the person he’d followed were swallowed up in what was apparently a vast room or hall. He dared not poke his head around the corner. He simply waited and listened.

It was frustrating to hear nothing. No conversation at all. His need to know what was going on almost overcame his caution when he’d heard the one single word… “Excellent!”

When he thought he heard footsteps he’d quickly retreated to his room and lay back on the slab in the hope he’d not be noticed. He wasn’t.

Terror began to give way to curiosity. Where was he?

[Watchwolf]

The grizzled old Silverback stepped up to the dais. The room immediately fell silent. Flight Admiral Berengei de Graueri was a well-known fighting hero of great honor and distinction. The sash across his barreled chest spoke well of his many campaigns. The scars across his face and neck bore far greater tribute than any medal could. Here was a true soldier.

He signaled to a gibbon at the side of the room. The lights dimmed and a 3D holographic representation of most of the Sirius Sector hung in the air before him. He fingered a laser writer in his enormous hand and began:

“Gentlemen,” he said. Then to Patricia and a few others scattered about, “And ladies…” he acknowledged. It was evident we was not accustomed to briefing female pilots.

“These are seriously troubled times. The events of the past 10 days have proven to be just a glimpse of the monumental task before us.” His deep brown eyes glowered beneath his furrowed brow. He slowly moved his head back and forth in the manner of Gorillas when agitated. It was clear he was deeply disturbed. “If this were not so we would not have assembled such an armada as we have not seen since the close of the Nomad War.” His voiced lowered. “The First Nomad War…”

The room stirred. A few voices were heard in angry or disturbed whispered debate. The Admiral hammered the dais with his heavy balled fist. A comm pad jumped about and fell to the floor with a clatter. The room fell silent once more. The gibbon scurried over to retrieve the pad and place it before his commander, then back into the shadows.

“We are at War. Against a renewed and invigorated Nomad fleet the likes of which all of Sirius has never seen. More disturbing are reports of new Nomad technologies and ships heretofore completely unknown. But most distressing of all, we now fight the Order as well.”

The room erupted in chaos. Apes and men alike jumped to their feet, voices and fists raised in angry protest. “Traitors! Cowards! Scum! Kill them all! How dare they!!!” and many unprintable expletives could be heard above the din. Above it all the thundering hammer of fist on duraplast. The Admiral pounded the podium and roared in an almost primal voice. The pad leapt to safety back to the floor, only to be crushed as the Silverback advanced on the crowd.

“Silence! I DEMAND SILENCE!”

As suddenly as the pandemonium had erupted, it vanished. Chairs were righted and pilots sheepishly resumed their seats.

“Aye. Treachery. But all is not lost. Now listen to my Comrade in Arms. He has important news.”

From the darkness to the Admiral’s left emerged a uniformed man. “Lord Admiral Orillion of the First Order” de Graueri introduced the Order Commander.

The room remained completely silent. If Admiral Berengei de Graueri was a hero, Orillion was a god. If this man had come out of retirement to be here, great and terrible things must be afoot.

“Treachery indeed.” He began. ”None bear the weight of that word greater than I. But hear me now: The Order stands first against this new Nomad threat. The Order may have been subverted but it most certainly is not subdued. We shall fight to our very last breath. That is my guarantee.”

The silenced thickened. If Orillion expected cheers he was sorely disappointed. You would be hard pressed to find one person in this room who had not lost or seen lost a friend or wingman to an Order ship these past two week. Trust would be long in returning to these hardened hearts.

“Nonetheless,” he continued, “It shall remain most difficult to know friend from foe in the battles sure to come. Each time we lose a pilot to the Nomads our codes and plans are compromised. We can barely keep ahead of the wave. But I wish that were our most serious problem.

“Intelligence has developed that a new breed of Nomad is at the heart of this war. Where they have come from we cannot tell. Rumors abound but we cannot and shall not base our tactics and strategies on rumor. Suffice it to say, this new enemy is capable of great deception and destruction, and wields a power we can barely imagine.

“The power of the mind.”

Wolf stared, turned toward Zeb and Vengeance then Carnival and finally to Seraphear. The latter appeared most disturbed. Wolf knew that he knew more than any other in the room what Orillion was talking about.

“We must take nothing for granted any longer. We must disperse and deploy our fleet in the smallest units manageable. That means greater responsibility rests on each flight commander and each wing commander, even each pilot. The problems in this strategy flow both ways: the fleet will be vulnerable spread so widely. And each pilot must be ready to assume command. One loss could place any of you at the top of the echelon. The chain of command had suddenly become much shorter.

“As the commander here has said, these are terrible times. As hard as it might be for any of you to accept it, trust is of the utmost importance. In the end that may be all we have.”

Orillion surveyed the room coldly. It might have been the most difficult statement he had ever made. Trust had been all but shattered for his Order. What, if anything, was left?

“Admiral?” He said as he stepped away from the dais and back into the shadows.

De Graueri resumed his place and activated his marker.

“Thanks to a handful of courageous Freelancers we know that the Nomads have brazenly set up a base of operations here“ ...the laser highlighted a spot on the holomap. It remained as a glowing dot in space... “in Alexandria. Additionally, Nomad activity has increased here”… again the point of light…” in Omicron Alpha and here in Omicron Gamma. These places have seen incursions of varying degree since the First War. However, what we see now is more a wave than a ripple. More disturbing still, Nomad ships have been sighted here in Omicron Minor and even here in Alaska. Should Alaska fall, Liberty’s Capital is at grave risk and her entire flank exposed.

“However that is not the worst of it. New intelligence has the City here in Sparta targeted for reoccupation. This is a focal point. With control of Sparta comes control over all the passages between the various Nomad strongholds and with it, complete isolation of the Order capital. With both Sparta and Alexandria in Nomad control none of the Four Home Systems are safe.  Woe to Europa, having brought this place to life. Now it is primed as a forward operational post for whoever owns it. I fear battles here will be most dear to either side. It is here we expect the primary assault. It is here will make our stand.”

[Carnival]

I walked away from the briefing with anger in my chest. I thought about the Order pilots who had betrayed Orillion, and the anger got deeper. I snarled to myself.

"If I find one of them, I'll rip him open." My thoughts turned darker as I walked, and I began to feel a familiar thirsting. "Need to drink."

I wandered round a corner to see a young female pilot leaning on the wall. As I walked past she fell in beside me, and I felt a hand brush my pocket.

"What the hell?" I turned to look at her. "Woah!"

She was pointing a pistol squarely at my chest. Her eyes were narrowed, and she did not look impressed with my eye colour.

"You're one of them. You're a traitor, a Nomad host!" She took a step forward, still pointing the gun at me. "I'm taking you into custody right now!"

I sighed. This was totally ridiculous. I should take her to one side and explain everything, maybe then she wouldn't be threatening me.

She won't listen. You should dispose of her. I shook my head, scaring myself with my own thoughts. You said yourself... you're thirsty. This stupid woman is threatening you. She deserves it.

"No!" I shouted out load, making the woman jump. "I can't!"

I started to advance on her, still muttering and cursing myself. Her eyes widened as I pulled out my blade, its edges stained red with blood.

Then, all I heard was a single gun shot, and screaming.

[Seraphear]

The briefing had finished, and we all knew our parts in this unfolding drama. Full of thought, I wandered down to the hangar and opened the cargo-bay door on my new Crusher. I stepped inside and opened the crate that the Robots had given me before I left. I smiled in perverse pleasure as I stepped into the crate and mounted the servarm on my shoulder. I slipped my bionic arm into the control gauntlet and stepped out of my ship.

On my way back to my quaters, I paused in front of a blast mirror and grinned at my reflection. I was monstrous. My left shoulder and part of my chest was encased in metal, hydrolic pistons hissing as I raised the huge metal arm in a mock salute. The massive steel claws on the end flexed as I clenched my bionic hand. The arm was heavy, but with use I was sure I would find it easy to bear.

"I'll have to see what the others think of my new toy." I said to myself, and starting walking to our rooms.

I got some strange looks as I strolled through the city. I wasn't surprised. I looked pretty terrifying, but that was the idea. If I am to hunt down whoever destroyed my gauntlet, and my arm, I'd need to get answers quickly. If fear of me won't do it, then the brute strength my servarm gave me, would. I mused on this as I walked, directing my steps towards to Carnival's quarters. I reached the door and knocked lightly with my right hand. No response, I knocked again, and tried the compad next to the doorframe. Still nothing. Leaning in close, I could hear heavy breathing, and a strange, wet, tearing noise. I looked down... and saw blood.

"Carnival!" I yelled at the door. "Open up. Are you alright?"

I got no response. I beat my fist against the door, shouting. Leaning in close again, I heard a pained moan.

"That didn't sound like Carnival..." I muttered as I looked around for something to start beating down the door. I stopped, and looked at the huge metal construct encasing my bionic arm. "Idiot. Time to see what this thing can do."

I tensed myself and punched the door, sinking the 3 metal claws into its surface.

"Wow. I didn't think it would be that strong!"

I braced myself, and started pulling. The heavy construct crushed the door in its grasp, and I grunted as I pulled. All at once, the door crumpled and flew outwards, catching me off balance and knocking me to the ground. Swearing, I pushed myself up and leapt through the doorway, fearing the worst.

What I saw, nothing could have prepared me for. I stared, sick with shock and revulsion. Carnvial was crouched next to his bed, blood staining his mouth and clothes, dripping onto the floor. The woman on the bed had chunks of flesh missing where he had bitten her. I closed my eyes, praying that I was seeing things. I opened them again as I heard a moan.

"Oh my god." I gasped as I realised that the woman was still alive. She had turned her head toward me and was imploring me to help.

I looked at Carnival, and a snarl of pure animal fury escaped my throat. I took a step towards him, and another, and another, until I was stood behind him. I tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned to face me. He stood up, and I noticed that his eyes were blood red. No pupils, no whites. He had gone so far he was preying on innocent people... and not even killing them, just feeding off them.

"You... ANIMAL!" I roared and clamped my huge metal fist round his body. He struggled as I lifted him up into the air, crushing him slowly in my grip. He made no attempt to speak, simply fixing me with a hostile stare.

I twisted my body round and threw him across the room so hard he dented the wall. He slid down, then sat slumped on the floor, trying to get his Nomad blade out of its sheath.

"No." I reached behind me and pulled out my pistol. In a few strides I was in front of him. I picked him up once again, and carefully took aim. "No respawn. No forgiveness. I give you the bliss you sought when you destroyed this woman."

The gunshots were loud in the small room. I didn't stop firing until the gun ran out of ammo. I watched the rounds hit Carnival's chest again and again, blood spattering the wall behind him. He stopped thrashing after the fifth shot. By the fifteenth, there was little of his chest left to hit. His red eyes glowed still  though, fixing me with a baleful glare as his life leaked away.

Relaxing my grip, I let the corpse of Carnival fall to the floor, and turned round to face the poor woman still bleeding on the bed. I picked her up as gently as I could and sprinted out of the room, heading for the hospital.

Behind me, the red glow of Carnival's eyes faded, and went out.....

[Zebulon]

Zeb looked up from his notes. Carnival had gone. Wolf was in animated conversation with a very unhappy looking Vengeance.  What was odd was the change in dynamics after the announcement.  Pyro was over talking to some of the ESF commanders that were here, backed up by some of his wingmen of course.  The fact these guys were talking did seem a little odd, as they were at the best of times mortal enemies.

However, Xenon kept giving Zeb a puzzled look given that AoF had been supplying him with intelligence on the Cardamine smuggling rings as well as the key into most of the clandestine piracy that went through Liberty space.  It was always good business never to let each customer know what the other customer was up to. With this change, AoF would have to look to its diplomatic skills and may even have to resort to some "muscle" to keep things on an even keel.

Bringing him out of his revere, Tornado and the BBD boys stepped up.  "Heya Zeb, we've been posted out to Alaska as a search and destroy team, with a couple of VLF as silent  intelligence gathering units. How about you? Where are they putting you and your gang?"

Truth was Zeb had realy not thought about how they would be placed in the great order of things.  He looked around for some of the other AoF that had been caught up in the drift towards Unkown2. There were a couple. Zeb knew that most of his best pilots were waiting on Crete for his instructions and he had passed this on to the chain of command, so with any luck they would be utilised effectively.

The hope was that the group would remain together having been through so much. What worried Zeb was the exposure that some, including himself, had with the Nomads. Nitestarr and Argh approached Zeb.

"Hey boss! Long time no see!" yelled Argh across the room. Heads turned. They always did when this monster of a man was about. Built like a bear and with an outgoing personality to match.  Of the two compatriots Nitestarr was the far more refined and cultured one with a family history that boasted many previous generations of space traders, going way back to the pre-exodus Guilds of the Old Worlds. Rumours abounded about this guys personal fortune.  Zeb suspected that he was more from the line of penniless nobility and had taken the trader job to keep himself alive.  Given that, he would soon be in a position to restore his families fading fortunes, as Zeb had seen the accounts departments notes on this guys trading ability and he had shown himself more than worthy, having achieved the hightest profit for the last quarter and only beating Argh by half a million credits.  Catching up with Argh, Nitestarr smilled and waited respectfully until Argh had finished the backslapping and hugging of his boss.  

"Ah, greetings to you Mr President. We were passing through here on one of our runs when we got the message to head for Crete, given that we were already in Unkown 2 we took the liberty of dropping in. I do hope you dont mind, do you?" said Nitestarr

Catching his breath from the previous hug, Zeb sat down.  "No of course not! Glad you both could make it.  We may be in need of your expertise.  ESF keep eyeballing that we are hanging around a load of former Navy turned privateers and the leader of the FTP.  They are getting itchy and I need you to calm the waters a bit, if you get what I mean?"  

Nitestarr patted Zeb on the shoulder, nodded and made his way over to the ESF with a smile.  Nitestarr knew a lot about these folk, even the sordid little secrets that most of them kept.  Zeb did not envisage any problems restoring the equilibrium as Nitestarr was an expert in Trade Negotiations.

Argh looked down at Zeb. "Ok boss, we need to get our orders, right?"

"We sure do, lets go find out what they want from us."

Uncharacteristicaly,  Argh, motioned to Zeb and leaned in close. "Boss, I got a message from Viki at the bar.  Bretonian Police Special Branch have been sniffing around. Something to do with Andy and they are stating that its to do with Artifact Smuggling. She asked me to give you this."  Argh pressed a small calling card into Zebs palm. He tucked it away quickly.

As they waited in the queue there was a commotion as some security troops entered the building and they were looking for someone.  Body language, even where apes are concerned, tells you a lot.  Two VLF pilots were with them and they did not look pleased.........

[cold_reaper]

After Zeb arrived in Seraphear`s room and talked with him for a while, they left with the Robot Surgeons that would replace Seraphear`s arm. I left the hospital and walked down the streets of Primus for a while. One hour till the big briefing. Impressive palm trees and coconut trees were seen everywhere. The place looked like it was expecting something. "This is the big calm before the hurricane starts..."I thought to myself while I lit a cigarette.

I didn`t get much sleep last night. Some things were still needed to be done. "Let`s see...I need to call Molten."


"Molten?"

"Aye. How are things boss?"

"A bit rough but we`ll manage. I`m waiting to go at the briefing. Did you and Dead got back home?"

"Aye. We`re in our HQ with the boys at the moment discussing what needs to be done."

"Listen, I need you to get a hold of our friend in the Liberty Navy. Admiral Da Gamma. Tell him you want to discuss something with him A.S.A.P. If he refuses to come to Theta, remind him of the little 'accident' the previous admiral of the Californian Grand Fleet had five years back. That will get his attention. When he gets there fill he in. Don`t tell him everything, just need to know basis. I`m sure you`ll handle things. After talking to Da Gamma, m-wave our friend in the Outcasts high command. He won`t be happy to hear from you, I bet, but call him over to Theta. Tell him we need the Outcasts to prepare for war. If he doesn`t believe what you tell him, put him through me. I`ll make sure he cooperates. Tell him we`ll need the Outcast to help in the upcoming war. If Omicron Alpha falls, Theta will be exposed. And Theta is an important key point due to the numerous jump holes. Oh I forgot, tell Da Gamma you want to send a fighter wing to Alaska. Send five of our boys there. If Alaska falls I don`t know what will happen to Liberty. I`ll send one or two squadrons of Corsairs to Alaska too. Have the admiral arrange this, and try to get our Outcast friend to send some units too. In the meantime I want you guys to stay put at Freeport 9 and be ready to react at every moment of day or night. You`ll never know when we might need your help. Also make sure our trading dealings don`t fall apart. We`ll need all the funds we got in the upcoming storm. That`s about it."

"So you really think it`s gonna be a war, huh boss?" asked Molten a little distressed.

"Aye, I suspect so. We can`t trust the Order as we don`t know who`s with the enemy and who`s not. But if you`re sure an Order member is on our side, do everything to help him. I`m using my own channels to get a hold of some info on what`s going on within the Order. I still have a lot of friends, some of them in high positions, from back in the day. Now, get everything ready as I told ya, and we`ll keep in touch. The hammer will soon fall hard, it`s just a matter of time. The Nomads aren`t sleeping and they`re working day and night. We need to do the same. We need to keep united, or the Nomads will just come in and sweep the pieces. Also tell Da Gamma to send the word even further to the rest of the houses and Europa too. I`m sure the Monkeys and Robots will do the same, but we need to be sure everyone is ready."

"Ok commander. Will do!"

"Ok, good luck and Godspeed!" I said and closed the comm link.

I went to the spot where I was to meet the others and have breakfast with them. As we all sat down at the table, I started thinking. In the past day a change occurred to me. I started feeling like I fit in. After I saved Seraphear`s life, I had connected to someone as I never did in my whole life. I took the life of many during the years of my life, but rarely saved another, and before now, only by accident. Seraphear came in with his new bionic arm installed, a horrific looking construction, and shook my hand. I felt a warm feeling inside, as I realized we were now linked in a way hard to explain in human ways. That gave me the second moment of inner peace I had in the past many years. We left for the briefing not knowing what to expect.

---------------------------------------------------@oOo@-------------------------------------------------------


I was shocked to see Orillion there. I met him way back, after my promotion to Commander in the Order. He was there at the reception. We met and I immediately liked him. He was one of the most powerful humans I have ever seen. Only his presence in a room could make every man and woman there pick up a weapon and fight for him.

After the briefing I stayed behind to talk to him. After talking to some ESF Commanders that I knew from back when I myself was Order(they weren`t very happy to see me there due to our frequent clashes in battle in the past months), I started walking towards Orillion. Electra was already there, exchanging a few words with the head of the Order. I came up to them.

"Admiral Orillion. I haven`t seen you in fourteen years. It is a pleasure to know you still fight for the survival of all free races." I said up loud with admiration in the tone of my voice.

"Commander Pyro. As usual, you have an excellent way with words. You haven`t changed a bit in the many years we were apart."

"I wish I could say the same about you, sir."

"Well, I`m getting old. But there`s enough strength in me to fly a ship and send the Nomads to their graves. I heard from our mutual friends you still keep in touch with what`s what in the Order. How is your gang of blood-thirsty pirates doing? I trust you lead them the same way you led the recruits that came in the Order?" he asked with a slight accusing tone. He was never a fan of my decision to leave the Order, as most of the veteran members.

"Aye, we are doing well. Locked and loaded to fight for our survival and help in this war. Tell me, what`s happening with the Order?"

"We`re not sure. Messages came in all the time, but you can`t trust everything you hear. Things are going haywire. We`re losing fighters to the Nomads. It is clear that they took our pilots, killed in combat or otherwise, and use some form of control, and then send them back. We haven`t found a way to detect this control yet, so we don`t know who`s friend or foe. The Order took a beating, the Nomads never forgot that we were the reason of their defeat in The First Nomad War."

"I`ve sent a message to my contacts in the Liberty Navy, prior to this briefing, instructing them to fortify Alaska and prepare for war. I trust that they will step up to the plate and help us in the upcoming effort. As you said, sir, we need to keep united. The Corsairs are on the stand-by to help us logistically and with fighter wings. As you saw, they had their own representatives here at the briefing, as the Outcasts did to. I don`t know what the Outcasts are up to. As you know, due to my dealings with the Corsairs, the Outcasts don`t have a place for me and my organization in their heart. But nonetheless, I`ll try to   influence things in out favor. But I`m sure, with your contacts, you are the best man for that job, sir."

He had a thinking stare in his eyes as he responded:

"Organization? Is that what you call it? Nonetheless, your help is much appreciated by me and the rest of the allies in the upcoming war. I know you`ll do a fantastic job, Pyro, as you always did. Don`t worry. The message will be sent to all those who oppose the reign of the Nomads in Sirius. But I fear this might be futile. Even if we win...What will be left after this struggle that will be present in every corner of our universe?"

"Who knows? We shall see. All will be revealed in due time. Now, if you`ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to." I said, giving him the salute of the Order.

"Yes, of course. We will see each other again, Commander, until this begins. May the stars shine upon your path!" he said returning the salute.

I left the room with a stone lifted from my chest. I knew that, with Orillion on our side, the odds just got a lot bigger in our favor.

[Zebulon]

"Zebulon Antarxes?" said the large silveback.  Zeb nodded in response, placing a hand on Arghs fist that had reached for his blaster.  

"Yes officer, is there a problem?"

"Did you come here with one called Carnival and is one of your associates the man known as Seraphear?"

"Can we talk about this somewhere less public please?"

The silverback beckoned to his officers.  "Please come with us, we need to show you something."

Zeb relaxed. At least it wasnt the Bretonians after him. "What on earth could this be?" he thought.

They marched over to the security administration block. As they went Zeb asked, "Captain, could you at least tell me what has happened to promote such a public scene?"

The great ape eyed Zebulon with suspicion. "Sure.  One of your men has committed murder. We found two bodies. One male and one female, or at least what was left of them. Forensics are trying to identify what happened, and we are retreiveing camera observation footage from the area. We need you to help us track him down."

Zebs first thought was "Carnival!"

They reached the security building. Argh and Zeb were ushered into a waiting area and then into an interview room. An old spider monkey entered.  "Anything I can get you gentlemen?"

"Outa here for a start!" muttered Argh.  "No we are fine for now thanks. Please can you tell me what is going on?" asked Zeb.

The old simian sat down and invited them both to do so.  "These are the photographs taken by our forensic crime team. There are two bodies. One, a female VLF pilot and the othe appears to be the remains of your companion Carnival."

The pictures were shocking.  Blood everywhere. Carnage and mess. "They've been shot?" queried Zeb.

"Well, one of them was. The other appears to have been severly mutilated. Do you know where this man is Mr Antarxes?" The spider monkey pushes a security camera photograph towards Zeb.  It was Seraphear. Quite clearly you could see the prothsetic arm with its exoskeleton and claws attached.  He looked terrifiying. The second picture the monkey handed Zeb was slightly blurred. It showed Seraphear tearing down the door to Carnival's room.  "We also have this." The simian pressed a button.

It was a holopic recording.  It showed a figure crouched over a bed having what appeared to be convulsions. There was a banging sound followed by a tearing and wrenching sound and the room filled with dust. A large figure entered the room. It paused and them it made a grab for the figure on the bed. All you could hear was "you...ANIMAL" closely followed by rapid fire gunshots and then the footage ended.

"We need to speak with Seraphear. He departed in his Crusher soon after and we are concerned that given the intelligence he is carrying that he could be vulnerable to the new Nomad threat. We are also deeply concerned for the respawning process of the other two and where they may turn up. Can you help us locate these people Mr Antarxes.....?"

Zebs thoughts were racing. "Damn it Seraphear!" However, for him to do that to Carnival could only have meant one thing. Someone had picked up on his "difference" and the blood lust had gotten to much for him. Seraphear must have stepped in at the wrong moment and had reacted as only he would.  He must have fled knowing that he would be blamed for both deaths.  Zeb did his swan impression. Calm on the surface and paddling like a drowning man underneath.  Calmly he sat back.

"I need to talk with Pyro. He and Seraphear have a bond and maybe he could tell us where he is headed. Truth is, Investigator, I don't believe that Seraphear killed the girl. Carnival? Certainly.  There are a few things you need to know about our friend Carnival." Zeb continued to tell the simian the story.......

[Seraphear]

I flew on, waiting for retribution. I didn't care, I was in the right, and I had destroyed a monster.

I was looking forward to living without Carnival's disgusting blood lust, and now I could concentrate on my intent.

I would find another guantlet. And I would defeat this Nomad invasion, no matter what!

[cold_reaper]

Zeb came rushing into my room. I just lit a cigarette when he opened the door.

"Listen and don`t speak. We have to talk. It`s about Seraphear..."

He told me what happened. As he advanced I became more and more petrified. When he finished my face was like a  cold stone. I feared the worse. But I suspected where Seraphear went. My gut told me I was right.

"Keep getting ready for the departure. I`ll go after Seraphear."

"How do you know where he went?" asked Zeb with a clear glance of doubt in his eyes.

"Trust me! I just know alright?" I said and rushed out of the room.

For the second time in two days I ran to the startport on Primus, flashed my id pass to the gorilla guarding the hangar area and got into the cockpit of my ship. I lit a new cigarette and proceeded to launch. "Dyson Sphere...he wants to get a new gauntlet." said a voice in my head. "How do ya know that?What if you`re wrong?" said another. "I`m not...Dyson Sphere. That`s the place." said the first voice. "God...I must be losing my mind! Talking to myself like that." I charged up the cruise engine and flew as fast as I could.

The way there wasn`t to hard, as I expected to be. I ran into a couple of Nomad Valkyries patrols, but didn`t fight because of the pressure to find Seraphear. My WA1 was charged to the maximum speed I could obtain from her engine. Every knot and blot of the ship vibrated due to the intense stress generate by the torque of the engine. I got to the nomad jump gate to Dyson Sphere and proceeded to the system.

As I exited the whirlwind of gravity, I concentrated. Seraphear was here. His presence echoed into my soul. "Hurry...HURY!" pleaded a voice in my head. As I advanced to the north-eastern part of the system the feeling in my soul grew stronger. "He`s here" Suddenly the proximity alert kicked in. One ship. A Nomad Valk. I prepared for a fight but instead as I drew closer I noticed the ship was deserted. A huge hole was present in the side of the ship. The bio-scanning of the ship revealed a shocking fact. Something that was alive was present. A Nomad. Quickly dressing into my spacesuit, I jumped to the Valkyrie and went to the cockpit. There, the corpse of a humanoid looking Nomad, with now grayish red eyes, was lying on the floor. His left arm was torn to shreds. "That can mean only one thing...Seraphear was here and took the gauntlet off its arm...". I jumped back into my ship and concentrated some more. Suddenly numerous images invaded my thoughts.

A ship rushing. A man struggling. A system filled with death. A powerful gravitation tide. A power that could tore up entire worlds. A black hole. A planet. A base. Blood red eyes...Nomads.  

"Omicron Delta...No! He doesn`t stand a chance. I need to hurry!" As that thought took control of my mind, I powered the ship back to cruise drive. Every part of my body was burning, like I was covered in flames. The consistency of my soul was that of molten lava. Another thought creped into the stream of my thoughts. "This is the second time in two days I have to save this man`s life...". I rushed and rushed and rushed. System after system, jump gate after jump gate. As I exited the Omicron Delta Jump Gate I found him.

The proximity alert kicked in again. It was Seraphear`s ship. Only two kilometers in front of me. I drew closer to him and opened the comm link.

"Seraphear. This is Pyro. I need to talk to you, and I need to do it now!" I repeated the words that I said two days earlier. But the response wasn`t the same.

"Don`t get in my way Pyro. I`m grateful you saved my life, but I won`t hesitate to stop you. You know what I got. I know you do. I can feel it in you. I don`t know why, or how, but you came after me. Go back to Primus where your talents are needed, and I`ll go where I can use mine."

"Those aren`t your talents. Those talents are given to you by the nomad gauntlet. You saw what that thing did to ya the last time you wore one. Did the fact that that device might still be working for its creators, even though you wear it crossed your mind?Or are you to absorbed by the lust for power and knowledge to see anything else? I haven`t saved you just so you can go and get yourself killed. Now come back with me or I`ll be forced to take measure." Saying this a feeling of power, but at the same time calm took over me. The fire was still burning as it did two minutes ago but now it was waiting for the decision of my friend.

"Don`t be foolish Pyro! You can`t stop me. You know what the gauntlet is capable of. You were Order. Now let me follow my destiny. Lust for power and knowledge you say? Yes, that might be. But the love for humanity and all it stands for too. Why not turn the table on our enemies? Why not use what they invented to our doom in our favor? Let`s use the enemy`s own weapons to his destruction. I shall end this war before it even starts. Now get out of the way, or I`ll be forced to do it for you with the help of the device!" He talked like a mad man,drunk with the promise of fame and power and the illusion of success.

"No! I won`t just stand by and see my friend destroy his life!" With that I launched a cruise disruptor missile at his engines. The Crusher stopped. Suddenly my mind was invaded by Seraphear`s presence.

"YOU FOOL! Now I`ll have to make you suffer! Why didn`t you just listen? I don`t want to hurt you. Power up the cruise engine and head back to Primus!" his voice said in my mind like a terrifying presence.

"No!" Instead I launched another CD at his engines. The next thing I knew I was feeling a incredible pain. My head was exploding and every muscle in my body was tensed up like a spring. My hand was slowly heading for the cruise drive switch.

"No one can fight the gauntlet Pyro! You will do as I want to either you like it or not!" said Serphear`s voice in my head with a demonic laugh.

"You`re just as bad as Carnival. Where he inflicted horrific physical pain to his victims you do the same in a psychological manner!" And with that pulled my hand back. At that same second waves and waves of horrific pain rushed through my body. I slowly I started losing the battle. But as I went for the cruise drive switch a voice screamed in my mind and echoed through my body and soul "DON`T GIVE UP!". My soul exploded and the tide was turned. I concentrated and what used to be the monumental image of Seraphear in my mind now was my equal.

"Who is the fool now? Not even you can dam the flow of the burning soul of Pyro! Now we`ll see who is more powerful. My burning free soul or that construction that creates slaves of the Nomad`s will." We started battling in our thoughts. It felt like whole hours went by. But I managed to beat him. I took him by the neck and threw him  off the plateau we were on. The plateau of my mind. I saw his face through the cockpit. He fainted. The shock was too great for him. I jumped into my spacesuit, got on his ship and took him out of there. I tied him up nice and tight, so in the eventuality he woke up, he couldn`t get out. I deactivated his robot arm and took the gauntlet off his arm. The device immediately deactivated itself.. After destroying his ship I started going back to Primus.

"I hope he can forgive me for this..." I said to myself with a sad note in my voice.

[Seraphear]

I woke up in an escape pod, my arms bound tightly to my side. I looked round, trying to find something to rub the cords off. I thought back... Pyro. Damn it, how did he counter-act the gauntlet? It should work on anyone!

"Hey. Hey!" I started shouting. "Let me out Pyro. Let me out!"

I thrashed wildly, my bionic arm straining to shift the huge construct that encased it. Damn it! It had been deactivated, without the servos working it was essentially a ton of metal hanging off my arm. I thought back to our mental battle. What in Void was I thinking? Why the hell did I use it on a friend?

"Pyro, please. Let me out." I spoke quietly. "I think we need to discuss our plans for the gauntlet."

Still no answer. I shut my eyes and tried to get some sleep. Suddenly, the pod opened, and Pyro loomed over me.

"I'm going to let you go, Seraphear, despite my better judgement." He held up a control pad. "If you try anything with that arm of yours, I'll use this EMP. I'm guessing that would cause a hell of a lot of havoc for both of us."

I nodded my agreement, and he reached over and hit the activation stud on my arm. I flexed it, and the cords binding me snapped. I got out of the pod and stretched my legs.

"I... I'm sorry." I looked into Pyro's eyes. "I don't know what came over me. I just want to help."

"I know. But you need to realise that those gauntlets are nothing but trouble."

"Yes, I know that now." I shook my head. "I guess I do enjoy the superiority it brings."

"Well... now you know that that feeling is misplaced," Pyro grinned at me. "I don't even have one those things and I could resist it."

I reached over and took the gauntlet from its hold on the wall. I looked at it... and proffered it to Pyro.

"You take it. You have control that I don't."

"Thank you, Seraphear." Pyro took it from me and fitted it onto his arm. "You know... I don't feel any different."

I smiled, and raised my servarm. I felt powerful just with this clawed construct on, with the gauntlet on as well, I felt like a god. And yet Pyro felt nothing.

"I think you're the right person for it. You -"

Suddenly, a massive explosion shook the ship, spinning it off course and sending us both hurtling to the floor. A second later, there was a resounding clang as another ship forced docked with us.

"Pyro, get to the cockpit and see if you can't blow them off us!" I yelled. Pyro nodded and hurtled back into the cockpit and took the controls. "I'm going to get down to the cargo hold, I'll get rid of any visitors."

I slid down the ladder into the hold, and positioned myself near the airlock. As I watched, the lock began to cycle through. I saw humanoid figures in the lock, blue glowing gauntlets encasing their arms, and red eyes piercing me through the glass.

"Ha! What are the chances... well I wanted a new gauntlet, now I get 5 of them!" I crouched down and flexed my huge metal claws, reaching behind with my left hand and taking my gun out. "Lets see what you've got!"

The airlock finished cycling and the first Nomad jumped through. His host was obviously medically dead, reanimated by the Nomad's possession. The Nomad leapt at me, scything through the air, wielding his gauntleted arm like a knife. I grabbed him out of the air in my claw and crushed him, flinging him back into the others. I aimed, and fired, taking two more out. Suddenly, the ship lurched and we started accelerating.

"Seraphear, I've broken free, and we're heading back to Primus, full speed. Everything ok down their?" Pyro shouted over the com unit.

"Yeah. Got two intruders, but they're both about to get the beating of a lifetime." I yelled back. "COME ON!"

The two remaining Nomads jumped at me, punching wildly, reaching for my neck to throttle my life away. The first one got a gun shot to the head, and fell to the floor. The last Nomad ducked beneath my gun arm and punched my legs from under me, sending me falling to floor. I tried to get up, and was rewarded by a series of blows to the head. The Nomad got off me and started walking towards the ladder up to the cockpit.

"Hey! You've got a lot to learn about human physiology if you think THATS going to stop me!"

The Nomad turned and ran at me, throwing himself forward in a bid to knock me out. I pulled back my servarm... and punched fowards, claws closed. The massive metal fist connected squarely with the Nomad's head, its upper body exploding with the impact.

"Pyro, all the intruders are down." I looked around the blood covered hold. "And we need to clean this ship when we get back."

I climbed up into the cockpit.

"I guess I should prepare for a lengthy trial when we get to Primus."

"Don't worry." Pyro smiled, winking at me. "If you tell the truth, you'll be fine.

With that, we flew on....

[Watchwolf]

The briefing had been enlightening if not depressing. Nomads pouring into Theta and Gamma. Nomads in Alexandria. Nomads in Alaska. It all began to make sense...

Theta and Alpha made Alex easy. If they took Alex, or even that part of Alex, not only could they pinch off Sparta from all directions, they could gain full control over the Inter-System Gates and so full access to the Home Systems! And nothing could stop them! Sparta was indeed the key.

But Alaska... my mind held that thought, turned it over, examining it from all sides. Something about that didn't make any sense, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I shook my head.

There was the jump hole into Sparta from Alex. They would have to control that as well if they wanted to control Sparta. But we had a lot of bases in that quadrant of Alexandria... they'd have to fight for it. If WE had control of that 'hole, we could defend the gate into Alex . They might have one side but we'd have the other...

No, that didn’t add up. What good would it do to control just one side of a Gate? None. We’d be picked off one by one if we tried to get through that way.

What about Alaska! Everyone was so concerned about New York falling if the Nomads got hold of Alaska. Yes, that would be bad, but not as bad as…

Everything kept coming back to the Gates.

De Graueri  had said Sparta was the key. If the Nomads were to retake Sparta they’d have free access between all the Nomads systems. True… And Osiris would be cut off. True… But in the end, they would really gain nothing. Osiris could be controlled through other means. That system was always vulnerable. It wasn’t so much keeping free access to the Order Capital as it was to keep the Nomads out…

Alaska… How did the Nomads get into Alaska? Through Omicron Minor? It would have been simple to go from Tempest to Omicron Minor to Alaska.

I had a friend on Freeport Seven. I got on the m-wave …

“Tigre! How good to see you again!”

“What the hell do YOU want?” the beautiful face on the screen growled.

“Oh come on now, sweetheart, it was just one little…”

“Don’t give me that, you… you Wolf in sheep’s clothing! You never showed up!”

“Oh come on, love. I missed a date. It was important. I was needed…”

“IMPORTANT?! A DATE??!!” Her red hair flew, her green eyes flashed, her cheeks flushed. GOD she was beautiful when she was angry.

“But… “

“It wasn’t a date! It was a WEDDING!!!” Oops, not that angry…

“…but…”

“OUR WEDDING!!!!” she began to cry.

“Look, honey… I don’t have time for this at the moment…”

“No. of course you don’t.” she sobbed. “You never did…”

“Look, sweetheart…”

“STOP CALLING ME THAT!!!!!”

For a moment I almost broke. She was amazing, alright. But it wouldn’t have worked. How could I tell her? On our wedding day? So I just climbed in my Saber and left. Maybe not my best option but it worked. But how to soothe the savage beast now? I needed information. An idea began to form.

“Look, Tig. You still got that Crusher?”

*sniff* “Yeah…?”

“You’re still the best Crusher jockey I’ve even seen.”

“Flattery won’t help you now, you dog.” Ouch. To call Wolf a dog….

“Look, give me one minute to explain, ok? Please??? I need your help” I smiled

She looked at me through swollen eyes, down, back at me, a little quirk of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. “Dammit, you. Don’t smile at me that way…”

I smiled bigger. “Just one minute, Tigger…”

“OK, don’t push it. What…?”

I filled her in. Everything. It took a lot more than a minute but I had her full attention by the time I was through. And… thankfully, her attention was no longer focused on the altar. At the end I popped the big question.

No, not THAT question…

“No Nomads there? None at all? Hmmm... OK. What we need right now is a dependable set of eyes in O-Minor. You up to it?”

“’Course I am. This is important.”

“Yeah, this time it is… Keep in touch, OK? Use CrypCode Random Omega-2.”

After the connection died I stared at the wall.

Alaska?

Then it hit me. Alaska was a ruse. We’d send a fleet of ships to defend New York only to find no battle there. Then we’d have all those ships in Alaska with nothing to do. In such close proximity to Sparta, they’d all go there to support the primary assault. What else would be left?

Then everyone would be in Sparta.

My eyes widened. I needed to get to the Big Guy.

Orillion was busy.... de Graueri was busy. This was war. Sorry no time for you right now....

"You don't understand!" I yelled into the face of the Gorilla guarding the door to the impromptu headquarters. “This is important!”

“Yeah, I understand alright, freelancer. Everyone wants to be important. Now shove off. Report to your wing. Your commander will tell you what to do…”

Military bureaucracy.  Made about as much sense as military intelligence. That’s why I was a freelancer. Now what?

I called Zeb....his Comm was busy. I called Carnival....no Answer. I called Pyro...no answer. I called Seraphear....no answer.

What the....?

I went to find Vengeance in the hangar and pulled him aside. "Buddy we need to talk. You’re the only one I can find that I can trust.”

[-Vengeance-]

“…You’re the only one I can find that I can trust….”

“What about everyone else?” I asked. I knew he didn’t trust me.

“You’re it, mate. You and me. We got to figure this thing out.”

I eyed him curiously. “OK, so shoot.”

He told me everything he’d been thinking. About Alex. About the Gates. About Alaska. About Omicron Minor.

As he talked, something tickled at the corner of my mind. I couldn’t quite figure it out. Something was wrong, but I brushed it off. “OK, so…?”

“So everyone’s going to be in Sparta! Think about it! The bulk of the Allied fleet sitting in Sparta waiting for the assault.”

“Yeah?”

“Remember what I said, there’s no point in controlling one side of a gate. If you control the other side no one’s coming through. So, where do the gates and holes in Sparta go?”

“OK, I’ll play.” I said,  “Let’s see… Alex, of course. And Alex again through the hole. And Osiris, and the Nomad Hive, and the Dyson Sphere. And then there’s the hole to Tempest. And finally Tohoku. That’s it.”

“Exactly. That’s it. See?”

“No. Wolf, I don’t see a damm thing. What are you getting at?”

“OK, look. The Nomads already control the Hive, Tempest and Dyson. If the have Alexandria, they have the hole and the gate. Osiris is bordered on all sides by Nomad space, except Sparta. See?”

“OK, maybe I’m an idiot. Spell it out for me.”

“OK. Imagine the entire fleet in Sparta ready for the assault. An assault that never comes! The Nomads don’t need to attack the fleet in Sparta. All they need to do is bottle them up there! If they control all the points out, they control the fleet. Only one ship at a time can come through any point. Put a battle group and a wing of fighters at each point and no one’s going anywhere. They’ll pick off anyone who tries. And with the fleet out of the way, the Gates are theirs! And with them ALL the Home Systems!”

“What about Tohoku?”

“EXACTLY! That’s where the real battle will be. Or should be. With no one there to defend it, it’ll fall over in a day. Then nothing will stop them.  NOTHING!”

The tickling became an itch as I watched him think it out.

“We need to get to Tohoku. And we need to get a hold of everyone we can….”

The itch became an ache, then a pain. I felt like I was on fire. As I looked at him, I began to feel an insane rage. My hands flexed.

“Yeah, I know how you feel, pal.”  Wolf had noticed my appearance. “It’s enough to … hey, you ok?”

I had risen and taken a step toward him. He jumped up.

“What the hell’s wrong with you?”

I didn’t hear a word he said. My skin burned and my vision narrowed. All I could see was red. Everything seemed red. Distantly I felt my hand going to my blaster.

Kill… KILL…

“Whoa, partner. Get a grip, ok?” I distantly heard it, like a hollow echo down a long tunnel.

As though from far above, I saw myself raise the blaster.

“SCHUTZ!” he yelled and ran.

I fired. A hole the size of a fist appeared in the wing of a Viper as the metal puffed into vapor. Wolf fled around the nose of the ship and disappeared. I took after him

As I rounded the Viper I saw him a couple of pads down. I fired again just as he ducked between two ships. Another hole appeared in the side of an Anubis.

“Annie! “he yelled. I followed his voice, judged where he was heading and turned to head him off.

There! His back was squared to me, heels and elbows pumping.. “ANNNNIEEEEEE!”

I fired. He went down. I advanced as he writhed on the floor.

“You cannot stop us! You puny humans have no concept! You have no idea at all what you are facing! YOU are the invaders! YOU are the Nomads! We defend OUR homes! Our HIVES! YOU WILL BE DESTROYED!!!”

I raised my blaster for the coup de grace….