Issue 24: A Ducky Disposition!
To this day I have no idea why J’anu just didn’t kill Eliza right then. I think Eliza figured it out. There was a scrap of a soul left. Not enough to redeem that Urraden. But to stay her hand.—Lorain Lanis
Even the smallest of us can turn the tide.—Hidan
I imagine by now most will guess why those ducks called me Mama. They were from a future that no longer required their presence. Luckily for them? My present required them above all else. Yes, Unity became aware of them but had no idea beyond the Brothers on what forms they would ultimately take. That was why Hidan found them so useful. A touch of the divine but not the loudest part.—Sleeping In Starlight: Cherubs on the Loose
The Bulwark
Outer Oort Cloud
April 20th, 2136
The energies of Eden flowed through me.
Captain Overwatch would help my father and the rest within the Eternal Empire Freehold. My counterpart wanted the former rulers to know just how she felt about them. Stars streaked by as I flew. The speed of it sent shivers through my body. I was fast before but within Eden? Everything was augmented. 16 members of the Protectorate were already battling the Living Stone encasing the habitat ring prison. A blue and green gas giant hung amid the black. I careened into five massive gargoyles. Living Stone chunks went where I wanted. Into the bleak atmosphere of the planet below. It helped that Doc and Aunty Q’vera used their energy arrays contained within their belts.
Q’vera said, >>I’ll assist the fleet.<<
Doc and I entered the main section of the prison. Cooper as the Emerald K-9 trotted alongside us. He growled. The fur on the back of his neck bristled. A Living Stone cobra filled the walkway. Its jaws parted. Five green tounges tested the air.
“Thronebearer!” Its eyes locked on me. I cracked my knuckles. Three forked cords shot out. Pulled me towards its maw. I traced the sigil on its oily flesh.
//88-|-88\\!
White flame spread. Poured into its mouth. It spasmed and dropped to the ground. Its form dissipated. I stepped across the remaining ashes. Twin curved daggers rested on my throat. J’anu snarled, “You will take us out of here.” Then she glanced up.
Disbelief colored her features.
I blocked the khopesh with my left hand. It sparked in my hands. Crimson sigils flashed. The quick flash of smoke followed by a horrid stinging in my palm made me grimace. Ta’rammon roared, “You!” I slammed my other fist into his stomach. He flew against the side of the wall. A wicked metal spike flew past. It narrowly missed his nose by centimeters. J’anu’s knives pierced my skin. That harsh visage lessened as she noted I had just saved her husband from decapitation.
I said, “I will not allow the mummified corpse of Morgana to take you.”
She knew I meant the innocent baby within stasis. She dropped her knives as they glowed orange. One drop of my blood hit the deck. It smoked as it connected with her fallen blades. “I wouldn’t advise using corrupted weapons.” Doc and Cooper remained alert. The complex tremored. The Living Stone wasn’t after the rest of the hab ring. Just this portion. The stark ashen threads pulsed against my third eye.
“You have the Hollowed Ones searching for you.”
J’anu sidestepped and Ta’rammon pulled her behind him. He grated out, “Fine. Truce.”
For now. That was the unspoken phrase.
Gulliver poked his head out from my “black backpack.” Most wouldn’t be able to see it. Just the regular Banner getup. He plucked against the Omega Line: //Hot Sause! I know what we can do but it will require both of us to draw the dynamic demon bird duo away. Be a tastier target.//
The images rippled across my mind.
A certain Alliance Hauler had quite the rouge’s gallery aboard. They also sought the Eternal Rulers. Lovely! A pair of hounds rounded the corner. Four Legs but not of the Earth or Bardax. Where a head would reside were two sets of mouths. No lips. Sharp teeth. “Head to the mess hall. It has the defenses we need.” I catapulted into the fray. The soles of my boots struck the lead monster. Its teeth broke into 1000s of shards. Light cuts appeared on my face. I shouted, “GO!” Cooper wrapped Ta’rammon and J’anu into an emerald chain. Tugging them along at greater speeds.
I pulled my other fist back and with a mighty crack sent the other demon flying. Unlike Ta’rammon, I didn’t hold back. It burst into bite-sized bits of stone and lava. The energy shielding came online to prevent any hull breaches. I connected with the Arcane Mainframe of the station. It had been made to house just two inmates. All other personnel, even the guards, had been Sleeves. Biomechanical Hybrid Androids were manned by actual people through neural connections. Now that I knew the truth between the Laws and the Material plane? It made sense. Not true clones. But made to man dangerous areas. Without giving away the truth.
Cybernetics with grown bio exteriors. To give off the pulse of living hosts.
Made to attract the Owls. No matter their level in the hierarchy. This place was a trap.
Made by the Arcane Order. It had always been them. Noah. C’alain. Ta’mathon.
Myself.
The net expanded. //Trouble is in position.//
I wasn’t shocked. Where Gulliver travelled? Trouble would follow. That was how Cherubs acted. Ur-Memory flowed. I continued towards the Mess Hall. Destroying all the demons in my path. No matter what form they took.
*****
J’anu watched as her burnt palms sealed over with new flesh. Doc’s healing aura sealed Ta’rammon’s wounds as well. Despite the powers of their wards. J’anu said, “We were the only guests here.” Doc inclined her head but still maintained overwatch on the main hatchway. Emerald K-9 never strayed. He kept his full attention on the duo of Eternal Pain. Even now their auras were rotted. The only spark of light? The baby within her womb. Eliza strode through the archway. It was sealed with a thunderclap of divine energy. The golden symbology flowed outward. Beyond the hab ring. A faint rumble echoed. The segments were breaking apart!
J’anu stared. Mesmerized. The fear climbed through her throat. “How….!?”
She cried out.
The despair etched within each word, “I should have killed you in that hallway.”
A small part of her brain gibbered, “But you could not. For she is the only hope for your baby. The last vestiges of atonement. There is no redemption for you.”
Those black and gray eyes held a glimmer of revulsion. No. J’anu realized with growing astonishment. Regret. Pity. Both emotions disgusted her.
“I do not need or desire your mercy Thronebearer!”
*****
Urraden’s terror cascaded outward. I wasn’t able to dim my aura. That was no longer in the cards. While True Throne Sight wasn’t possible for now? I had to feed that part of myself connected to the old ways. To Elysium. To the Lord of Creation. The metal of the hab ring reformed. Each segment flowed over each piece and interlocked. Until only the Arcane Battleship Olympia remained. The AI came online, <<What is your Will, my Arbiter?>>
<<All systems online. Open fire. Send TACS Little Italy towards the local sun.>>
<<Complying.>>
I traced another symbol on the floor. Then moved the tables at super speed.
A storage compartment revealed itself. Stasis modules. Ta’rammon frowned.
“If you mean to lock us within those….” He held his khopesh at the ready.
Cooper snarled.
I retorted calmly, “Do you wish to survive? Even if you have no love for yourself. What about your wife and son?” I sent out Empathy threads. Not enough for him to notice but enough to nudge him. Within that sliver of a black heart? He cared for his wife. A leftover primal mandate from his distant past. He wanted his boy to live. That was his legacy.
Their bloodline.
J’anu touched the rim of the first unit. “It is metal from our universe. I detect no Arcane Order irritants.” Ta’rammon eyed the outer electronics. He noted that it was set for 5 hours. He snorted, “You would be stupid enough to sacrifice yourself wouldn’t you?”
He added after a moment, “Banner of Eden.” It sounded almost respectable.
The distant warbling cry of White Owls decided the situation for him. He watched as the stasis chamber sealed. His brown eyes locked onto me as he climbed into the second unit. The floor resealed over the chamber at my command. Doc asked quietly, “They won’t appreciate this…”
I said, “Not now. Later. If what my Ur-Flow implies. I have no access to the third phase.” I wouldn’t hide anything from Lorain knowingly. Not with what would come ahead. I moved the refrigeration to the side. Behind it was a sigil that pulsed against my skin. I opened it.
Four white crystals. One flowed through my soul like a second glove. That went to Doc. I handed the next to Cooper. A grin hit my face. “Boys. We got to go Owl hunting!” Two ducks climbed from my black backpack.
Gulliver waddled over to get a good gulp of orange juice.
Trouble quacked, << Channeler Crystals!>> He flapped his black wings. Puffed up his chest. <<We won’t fail you!>>
The crystals phased into the Defender Belts of all four.
Olympia’s outer defenses fired. Bright purple arcs shot outward. I brought the massive ship about. Klaxtons resounded across the vessel. <<Firing Symbology Arrays. Repair nanites inbound.>>
Adam Lazer cheered, <<On your six AOBS Olympia. All Protectorate in system! Rally!>>
Space-worthy demis from all across the system converged. Joining in the bombardment of all remaining Living Stone. Now to get all the pieces in the same spot. Easier said than done. Doc smiled crookedly, “Lead the way Captain!” I stuck out my tongue.
Cooper noted, <<Excellent Idea to make the Mess Hall the CIC. BACON!>> His tail went tick-tock and he nosed his way through the meat storage within the fridge. With his mouth nearly full of pre-cooked protein gold, he took his fair share of the battle tax. As he called it. The duck brothers quacked excitedly as they found two particularly succulent plumbs.
Doc handed me a high-calorie snack bar. Apple pie flavored.
She said, “I noticed you haven’t eaten in days.” I saluted and took a few bites.
Priorities!
The anti-grav missiles continued to fire. Additional ships warped in.
*****
Pyra snarled, “Damned Alliance protocols!”
The emergency lights flickered. They were heading towards the sun. Snake Charmer took over the sensor hub. “Keep on course.” He had already rebooted the main frame. They wouldn’t need this ship much longer. “Get into your crash suit.” Prya didn’t question it. They were all villains of every stripe but survival? That bonded them all together.
Striker Nix sprinted past Morgana’s room. White feathers flowed in his wake. Not good. His eyes bulged as twin shadowy shapes flitted past him. The ship intoned cherrily, <<Hull Breach, main engine room! Oxygen at 54% Evac suit recommended!>>
Nix’s grav boots clicked on the metal as the ship careened out of control.
A familiar voice flowed over the coms, <<TASC Little Italy, do you require assistance?>>
His stomach flipped as the ship came to a sudden stop.
The Star Spangled Banner was here. His HUD flickered.
She had the ship clamped down with one fist. Her face was open and smiling.
Nix cleared his throat. Activated his voice modulator.
<<Please!>>
The American flag waved majestically. Striker Nix smiled.
The action was unnatural on his lips.
Remember your cover, <<Welcome back!>>
*****
Doc subvocalized over the Union bond, >>That is not quite human.<<
I winked, >>Noted. Let’s clear out the owls first.<<
Doc peered up at me. Her golden aura from her Defender belt wavered as it detected additional foes. >>Oh no.<<
I nodded, >>Yep.<<
We were about to save the Snake Duo Express.
Wednesdays! Now in direct completion for excitable demi days!
Gulliver quacked. They landed on the frontal nose panel of the vessel. Trouble watched as the Owls dashed towards the sun. <<Ma! I think they want to detonate inside that star!>>
It was worse than that. They wanted to convert the star instead.
In an instant, I caught up with them. Their black beaks rolled to the back of their heads. White and black horns in the shape of a Y protruded across their scalps. Their small bodies warped into 12-foot-tall hooved whipcord thin frames. Their skin was mottled with dried blood. Fallen Sigils. I didn’t bother using Thronebearer sigils on them. I wasn’t strong enough yet. No, I had to distract them another way. Until the Duck duo could transport them. I phased into the first layer of the Weave. Pale ghostly fire surrounded the Hollowed Ones. I motioned toward them, “No sun on the menu for you two!” They eyed me.
The male said, “Poor broken Thronebearer. They should have sent the brother.”
Pain exploded behind my eyes as black threads burrowed under my skin.
Endure.
Issue 23: Here
Issue 25: Here
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