* * *
Rejad sat on a pile of pillows at the top of a high podium overlooking the sweep of the command deck. This, he thought, was war as he had imagined it, all the officers of high birth and rank at their stations, looking resplendent in their dark-blue, formal uniforms. They were busy, each supervising their department or subsystem, coordinating the mighty weapon that was Blade of Kevv.
Vatsha sat at a special station to one side, monitoring the modified kaleidoscope device. An officer sat with her, his arms crossed behind him, his presence a matter of formality. No civilian, especially a female, could officially hold a position of importance on a combat vessel.
He returned his attention to the holotank displaying the progress of the ground battle. Things went well. The Humans’ Bolos, not all, but enough, were right where he wanted them. He had given word, and the reserve force was beginning to move. Soon the real slaughter would begin.
One of Rejad’s many Arbiters appeared. “Pardons, my Is-kaldai, but the captain of your yacht wishes to report an incident of possible interest.”
Rejad studied that tank again. Nothing needed doing. His plan was in motion. “Put him through.”
The captain’s head appeared floating in a corner of the holotank. “I beg forgiveness, but there has been an incident here of shame and misfortune.”
“Tell.”
“A low-born, a long-range monitor tried to force his way onto the command deck. He demanded to speak to you, my commander. He said there was some great danger.”
Rejad noticed that Vatsha was standing, listening to the conversation, her hood wide with tension. What would she care of this matter? He ignored her.
“What did you do with him?”
“He was mad, my commander. I took out my surias and gutted him like the low-born grazer that he was.”
* * *
Jask stood in Kal’s hatch, staring down at the ground. “We can’t leave Bessy, Kal.”
“I’m afraid, young Jask, that there isn’t room or time to take Bessy aboard,” Kal said. “Besides, Bessy is a Bolo of the line, and can take care of herself.”
“Where are we going?” Jask asked.
Kal hesitated only a moment before telling him. “The spaceport at Reims. We will not stop until we get there.”
Jask nodded. He had been to Reims before and had seen it a few other times on a map. It was to the south end of the continent, a long way away.
“Bessy, meet us at Reims,” he shouted to his old friend.
Then he turned and moved inside the Bolo. He had always dreamed of being in one, and being rescued by one. Now he got both dreams at the same time.
The hatch closed and Jask could feel through his feet that Kal had gotten immediately underway. The machines built into a nifty couch were working on Lieutenant Orren and he already looked much better.
Jask sat down in the command chair facing all the instruments and screens. This was the same chair that General Kiel sat in. He couldn’t believe he was here.
After a moment he wondered what it would be like to sit in Ziggy’s command chair. “Kal, is Ziggy coming?”
“Yes,” Kal said. “He will be here very soon.”
* * *
Rejad looked up from his holotank, only now aware of the confusion on the command deck below. Something was wrong.
The captain of the Blade of Kevv ran to the forward monitoring station and leaned over the officer there. “What is it?” His tone was demanding and harsh, as though the monitor officer had somehow caused the strange reading to appear.
“I do not know,” the officer replied, “I cannot identify it as any known type of ship or weapon. But it is closing on us rapidly. Impact is possible.”
“If it is a danger,” said Rejad, “destroy it.”
The captain ducked his head in apology. “Power has been rerouted from our main batteries to the kaleidoscope device, as you ordered. Our spearlaunchers are useless against such a target.”
He stood a little straighter. “My commander, if it is indeed a missile, it is a pathetic one. We can easily move the Blade and the rest of our fleet from its path.”
“Do it then.”
There was a rumble as the ship powered up its maneuvering thrusters, and then the stars began to move in the forward ports. As Rejad watched, something bright and spinning shot by, close enough to make out details on its surface. He had a fleeting impression of—treads?
Then he saw that Vatsha had abandoned her post, and was walking over to stare at the monitor tanks. “It was not aiming for the fleet,” she said, despair in her voice. “It was never aiming for the fleet.”
* * *
The pain is almost unbearable now, but I have shut down the drive.
Already I am hitting the first wisps of atmosphere, and I am beginning to tumble. I do not fight it.
My remaining operational main battery is frozen, but as I spin, it may yet point at a target of opportunity. I watch and wait patiently for 4.421 seconds. It is not statistically surprising that, when a target does come into my sights, it is the largest one available. The target is surrounded by sensor echoes, but at this close range they overlap, and I have a good sense of where the actual target is located.
I pour my remaining power reserves into a volley from my surviving Hellbore.
For the first time, and for one last time, I fight.
* * *
The command deck shook mightily and Rejad tumbled from his platform. He barely landed on his feet. The lights flickered out, then returned with less intensity. “What was that? What was that?”
The captain struggled to his feet. “We have been hit by a plasma bolt. Our main reactor is down. Spear launchers are heavily damaged.”
Rejad looked out the ports and could see wreckage and vented clouds of ice crystals drifting by. “What of the kaleidoscope device?”
There was agony in Vatsha’s reply. “There is no power, my brother.”
Rejad climbed back onto the platform so he could observe the battle below. The first advance of his reserves was coming in firing range of the Bolos. He signaled the ground commander. “Concentrate your fire on the Bolos, especially the ones with the orbital guns. They must be distracted until we can move out of range.”
The general’s voice was strained. “Our ground forces will suffer, my commander.”
“Then let them suffer.” Rejad snapped the connection closed.
* * *
It is good not to be alone now, my brother. The pain is overwhelming, and I struggle to screen it out. The fleet fires at me, too late. I have overridden my safeties, and both my fusion reactors build to overload.
I note with some satisfaction that my final course corrections, made in response to the coordinates you provided me, are accurate to within five-hundred meters. I almost imagine that I can see the soldiers of the Kezdai armored column looking up, but that would be imposs—
* * *
From the position of the Bolos, a lance of fire dropped out of the sky over the battlefield. A falling star by anyone’s standards.
It vanished behind the ridge line for a moment before the blinding flash turned the world white.
Quickly the white light faded.
Then the shock wave ripped across the open plain, sending everything that wasn’t a Bolo scampering for cover.
It was the moment the Bolos had been told to wait for. All of them elevated their weapons and began firing at the Kezdai fleet, Hellbores and Hellrails alike.
* * *
Vatsha was dead. She had not made a sound, but at some moment when Rejad had not been looking, she had performed the ritual of Ducass, shutting off the flow of blood to her heart. It was a traditional method of avoiding torture. Or shame.
Rejad leapt to the deck to better see out the forward ports. Even as the fleet scattered, they were being hit, one by one. Rejad shielded his eyes as a reactor blew. “Do we have the main drive working?”
There was panic in the captain’s eyes. “We are on thrusters only, my commander. The damage is severe.” Then his eyes went wide as the ship shuddered.
Rejad glanced at a master systems display showing a profile of the ship, and watched it go black from the back end to the front, each new section of blackness timed to a louder and closer explosion.
As a child, Rejad had witnessed a favorite uncle beheaded. He had, in his more morbid moments, wondered what it would be like, to see your own body as your head fell toward the sand, knowing you were already dead.
Now he knew.
* * *
“Does anyone have any idea exactly what has happened?” Veck asked, clearly frustrated.