From Furies Forged (Free Fleet Book 5) (41 page)

              “I kind of hope that they do,” I said looking to him.

              “Yes, it would be rather nice if the Kalu were stupid enough to try and take Avar Interim Hermanti,” he said with a rare thoughtful smile. My own face mirroring his.

              “Vort, send a message to Commander Ursht, make sure that he is ready in case the Kalu decide to make a visit. Tell him that we will be there to assist shortly,” I said, tapping my lips in though. I didn’t have a crystal ball, but my mind was trying to sort through the possibilities of what might happen with the Kalu.

              “Yes Commander,” Vort said, but his voice was distant from my absorbing thoughts.

              My screens pinged with a message from Yasu, I checked it and try as I might, I couldn’t help but look back at my boy in his crèche.

             
It’ll be safer for him,
I thought, knowing that I was only trying to justify it to myself. I felt as if part of me was being pulled away. Sure I would know that he was safe, but hell if I didn’t want him to be by me all the time so that I could personally watch over him.

              This was going to be one of the hardest few hours of my life.

              “Rick could you call me up a shuttle. I’ll be going to Floater and then on to Parnmal,” I said.

              “Can do,” Rick said. Working on my request as I went and grabbed the crèche. Then I walked out of the bridge, looking into the box the whole walk down to the shuttle bays and on the ride over to Floater.

Chapter Avar Interim Hermanti

              Ursht looked to the battle masters, they were gathered in the same hall that Krom and Salchar had fought the first time.

              He had been sure he would lose his position for calling down someone of the stars to help the proud Avarians.

              Now he was the leader of the Commando regiments across the planet and part of the forming committee that overlook Asul City’s growth.

              “So the Kalu are coming here,” Jahli said rather than asking, all of them had seen the reports and the information coming from the Free Fleet.

              “Yes, the Commandos are ready and waiting. Our defenses are solid,” Ursht said.

              “So why do you come here if your own city and people are safe?” Kolva said from his position.

              “We wish to hunt together,” Ursht said looking to the other clan leaders, they leaned forward in interest.

              “We have room in our defenses and bunkers for your people and the Free Fleet looks to protect all people. As AIH has signed a treaty with them all of our people, not just the people that follow Salchar are subject to their reassurances.” Calling it Protection would have just started a fight with these proud men.

              “When you say you want to hunt together, will you give our people powered armor and railguns?” Kolva asked, his eyes widening in greed.

              “Railguns yes, they don’t have the nerve ports for the powered armor, it is too late for that,” Ursht tried to keep the bite out of his tone.

             
After all it was
you
that didn’t want them to come to the Commandos in order to get proper training with the powered armor.
The other leaders in the room still saw the Commandos as being Salchar’s and Asul’s people.

              “What is your battle plan?” Jahli asked, he had the second biggest clan to Asul city and he had looked to upgrading his own city to give his people better living conditions. He did trade closely with Asul, they were the most prosperous city afterall and Jahli had a defense agreement with them. A number of his fighting capable youth had joined the Free Fleet and the planetary Commandos under the command of Ursht.

              “We open the hunts up for all, on the Kalu,” Ursht couldn’t hide his thin smile as he looked to the clan leaders. They had limited the hunt as they realized that killing their prey and would leave them starving unless they let them recuperate.

              It was a big blow to the Avarian honor. They were hunters, trackers and taking away their hunt was not met with the happiest of sentiments.

              The Avarians had come up with a weapon that had a bag on the end of it and carried a dye that would leave its mark on the prey. That way they kept their skills sharp for when hunting season was called and they could show their mark on the prey with their own distinct color in their fur or on their shell.

              “Well that would be an interesting hunt,” Traz’s voice rumbled, sharing the hungry look in Ursht’s eyes, opening and closing his hands in anticipation.

              The other two leaders were also leaning forward in their seats; many would be happy to hunt. It lived in their blood and souls.

              “Asul have already armed their hunters with their weapons and promised that any Kalu killed by the hunter will be claimed as theirs. The Kalu’s armor is made from rare and refines materials. The shipyards will pay well for their weight. We will also be supplying explosives in case any of your hunters might want to test some traps out,” Ursht saw the pleased smiles on all of the Avarians in the room. Traz stood from his chair and walked to Ursht’s position as talker, he put his right hand on his shoulder and tilted his elbow so that it was covering his face.

              “Dasva will join you in your hunt,” he said. Ursht held his arm in the same fashion and they touched the back of their arms.

              “It will be my honor to hunt with you and yours,” Ursht said, holding Traz’s eyes as one would hold those of a worthy opponent.

              Traz let out a barking laugh as they lowered their arms. He made his way to the halls doors, his muscles rippling as he pushed the doors which took four Avarians to open.

              “Dasva goes to hunt the Kalu!” He barked.

              There were stunned looks as that sunk in, it quickly turned to cheers that filled even the hall of clan leaders.

              Ursht looked to find Kolva with the same salute, they touched the back of their arms.

              “Let us see which city gathers the most kills,” he said in challenge.

              “I trust Asul’s hunters will gladly take the challenge,” Ursht said, their arms lowering to reveal satisfied smiles.

              “Kolva’s clans will also join the hunt!” he bellowed, cutting through the noise of Traz’s clans.

              Ursht touched arms with Jahli.

              “Let us make up for the lost hunts,” Jahli said.

              “May our people hunt together for a hunt to be talked about for ages,” Ursht said, both of them lowering their elbows.

              Jahli brought with him not only his clans, but the awakening facilities that the priests looked over and their champions protected.

              “The awakened will join the hunt,” Jahli’s voice wasn’t loud but it cut through the yells and cheers.

              It was greeted by the savage war cries of the awakened.

              Ursht walked to the entrance of the hall, marching out, his Commandos falling in behind him. There was no stopping the rush that filled him. All of AIH was united in one cause, hunting the Kalu that came to their planet.

                                                                      ***

              I stopped walking in the corridor, looking to the statue of Henry. Yasu stood with me, tears in both of our eyes.

              “How about Henry?” I asked, looking at the statue, our hands finding one another, taking strength from the other.

              She let out a soft laugh.

              “How about Henry Hachiro Cook?” She replied. Her hand tightening on mine.

              “Sounds perfect,” I said, looking to her.

              Henry would be safer than many, Monk had taken his duties as Uncle with great pride and the fierce protectiveness in his eyes put me and Yasu at ease. He was family and he would lay down his life to protect our son.

              “Salchar,” Krom said softly, reminding us to keep moving, the Fleet was needed in AIH.

              I touched the statue dedicated to Henry.

              “Wish you were here to see how we’ve grown brother,” I said, emotions making my jaw tighten as my eyes shimmered.

              Yasu patted the statue as well, we sunk into our own memories for a moment before Yasu pulled me onwards.

              We walked together, hand in hand all the way to the shuttle bay.

              “Let’s go and protect our home,” Yasu said, fire in her eyes.

              I nodded to the truth in her words. Earth had betrayed us too many times, AIH was our home and the Free Fleet were our people.

              We hugged, giving eachother our love. Neither of us wanted to let go, as we hadn’t wanted to let go of our boy Henry.

              We came apart and I darted in for a quick kiss and one last hug.

              We hid our tears, the training of gaming celebrity helping us. I pulled my helmet on, silent tears falling down my cheeks as I hooked my gloves in.

              I took my seat with a rattling breath, moving my arms to focus myself.

              We hadn’t been just saying goodbye, we’d been telling the other what we would want them to remember if they died.

              The shuttle arrived at Hic Stamus all too quickly.

              “We are ready to move to Avar Interim Hermanti,” Rick said in my helmet as I stepped off of my shuttle.

              “Very well, get us there as fast as possible,” I said, steeping into my role as Commander Salchar, not James Cook the husband and father.

                                                                      ***

              Orshpa looked at the planet he was sending eighty-thousand Kalu. All of the Kalu had vied to join the clans that had gained the honor of attacking the planet.

              It was a dull looking planet of rocks and little growth. It would be easy to flush out the weak creatures of the Union. Without their ships armor and missiles, they would fall like the prey they were.

              “Go, claim this world in the name of the clans of Kalu, we shall meet afterwards to feast and celebrate our victories whether with our ancestors or one our new worlds,” Orshpa rose his head, showing his pride in the Kalu that were heading towards the planet.

              It seemed to have an effect as they went to full acceleration.

              “The Free Fleet have arrived,” Daskil announced some three hours later.

              He had seen them stopping at the massive station that had destroyed an entire fleet and anything that had come into their sights.

              The fleet’s defeat at Parnmal had done nothing but expend irreplaceable missiles and ships.

              Orshpa stepped on the dread he was starting to feel.

             
I will watch these worlds run with the blood of their inhabitants. We will claim all of space as our own and look to spread our stories through the stars. Our people will send more supplies or we will take them from those that we defeat. We shall not lose!
That ironclad conviction made him look at his fleets proudly, they would bring him victory.

              “The Free Fleet have transitioned into the system,” Daskil said, pausing as if determining whether to tell Orshpa something.

              “What?” Orshpa said, his eyes focusing on Daskil and making him squirm into a position of submission.

              “The entire planet that the fleet is going towards are chanting,” Daskil said, hitting a button from his position on the floor.

              “Give us war;

              Give use death,

              And know despair.

              We are Avar.

              We are shadows,

              Blades, and claws.

              Hear our chant.

              We are war;

              We are death;

              We are despair.

              We serve battle,

              Masters lead us

              Not to victory,

              But to our enemy’s death.

              Give us war;

              Give use death,

              And know despair.

              We are Avar,”

              It was similar to the chant that Salchar had used, yet the deep growls, roars and guttural noises of this race fit the chant better.

              It looked like they had found the planet where the song had originated from.