The Cartographer (31 page)
Authors: Craig Gaydas
Wraith sat in the pilot seat. “Buckle up, we're going to do what we said we would do.”
“What?” Kedge roared. “I'm not leaving until I hold Calypso's corpse in my hands.”
Wraith glared at him. “There is something more at stake than your petty vendetta. Several highly trained Defense Fleet soldiers are on their way to capture or eliminate Calypso. The fate of this planet takes precedence over your needs.”
Kedge started to protest but I stepped between them.
“Kedge, you said the task of saving mankind falls to me. Give me the chance.”
Kedge narrowed his eyes and clutched his staff tightly. He fixed his gaze upon me for several minutes before looking away. “You're right.” He placed his staff in the weapons locker at the back of the shuttle before fastening himself into the seat behind me.
I sat next to him and followed his lead while Wraith took the controls. “We will get him, I promise,” I whispered.
Kedge remained silent with his gaze fixed on the main screen.
Gard took position at the copilot's seat and switched on a nearby scanner. On the small screen sat an x-ray image of the United Nations building with purple dots scattered inside among the many floors. Outside the building were several red dots flanking the structure, continuing to move closer.
“What is that?” I asked.
“The red dots represent Klax and his team. The purple dots represent everyone else,” replied Wraith.
Wraith guided the shuttle out of the East River, engaged stealth mode and set course for the Argus. New York vanished in the distance as we rocketed toward space. When we entered Earth's atmosphere, we received a hail.
“
Sir, the Argus is attempting to contact us
.”
“OK, Gard, put it on the main screen,” he replied.
Embeth appeared on the screen. To say he looked frustrated would have been putting it mildly. He appeared ready to choke the first person to come near him.
“Where the hell is Klax? He is not answering my hails!”
“He is leading an infiltration unit to recover Calypso,” replied Wraith.
Embeth ran his hand through his hair and relaxed (barely). “So you have located Calypso. Finally some damn good news in all this mess. What's your status?”
“We are heading back to the Argus,” Wraith replied. “What is the status on Royal Command?”
“They should arrive in two days,” Embeth grunted. “That gives us enough time to get this bucket of bolts up and running with enough time left over to get the blood cleaned from the corridors. I wouldn't want the High Prince to slip on the gore.”
His look of disdain told me he was not happy with the High Prince's decision.
“Bah, I am a man of action,” he added. “I shouldn't be sitting around babysitting repairs while my men are in the thick of battle.”
“Well there is no battle yet,” I interrupted. “Hopefully it stays that way.”
Embeth responded with a wave of his hand. The screen went black.
“
Sir, I am receiving a transmission from Klax
,” Gard reported.
“On screen.”
As soon as the image appeared on the screen, my heart fell and all the air left my lungs. I slumped in my chair, wide-eyed. Kedge stiffened next to me and grasped the arms of the chair so tightly I thought he would tear them off.
“Oh no,” Wraith gasped. “It can't be!”
Calypso appeared, surrounded by a heavily armed contingent of United States National Guardsmen. A sly grin crept across his face. Several of Embeth's soldiers were either dead or unconscious, scattered around the room behind him. The survivors (including Klax) had assault weapons aimed at them and their hands were tied behind their back. Their heads were down, but no one missed the wounds they suffered. Klax seemed like he went ten rounds with Mike Tyson. The remaining survivors suffered worse. Some had bullet wounds in their arms or legs, others looked like they were beaten mercilessly.
“I warned you,” Calypso sneered.
“Let them go,” I begged. “It doesn't need to be this way!”
His smile faded and his features hardened. He swept his arm behind him. “This is only the beginning, Nathan.”
A National Guard soldier approached Calypso. His irises were red like the President's. “Calypso, we have conducted a sweep of the perimeter. The threat has been eliminated.”
“No, Lieutenant, it has not,” Calypso said somberly. “Contact your people and ask them to scan beyond Earth's orbit and you will find several hostile vessels beyond the Earth's atmosphere ready to strike.”
The Lieutenant's eyes widened and he ran off screen. Calypso's narrowed his fiery eyes and widened his grin.
Wraith dropped his head in his hands. His resigned demeanor tore at my soul. Even Kedge had no words of encouragement now.
The President stepped into the picture and tapped Calypso on the shoulder.
“It's done,” he said gruffly. “Congress has voted and they approve.”
“Approve?” I blurted
Calypso's smile faded when he saw the anxiety on my face. He folded his arms and glared at me.
“I warned you, Nathan,” he replied solemnly. “I tried to prevent this.”
My voice dripped with frustration. “Prevent what?”
“War.”
Epilogue
“W
e will most likely be court-martialed for this.” Embeth strapped the last grenade to his bandolier before grabbing the final neutralizer. With a grimace he shoved it into an ankle holster.
“Yeah, well I have more important things to worry about,” I muttered.
Kedge finished fastening his staff to his back. With his monocled eye fixed on me he reached into his pocket.
“Open your hand,” he said.
I hesitated briefly before sticking my hand out. Even though Kedge had worked to prove his allegiance to us, I still found it difficult to trust him. He dropped a small metallic object into my outstretched palm. I glanced at it and my eyes widened. It was a small, golden depiction of an ankh.
“Is this—” I started.
“Yes,” he replied grimly. “It is what kept me safe during times like these. I pass it to you and hope its luck carries over to you now.”
Before I could reply, Wraith shoved several golf ball-sized objects into my hand. Instead of dimples, they came with several metallic diamonds embedded in its surface.
“What's this?”
“It's a stun grenade,” he replied. “We want to keep the casualties to a minimum right?”
“Yes,” I replied sheepishly.
Lianne clipped her sword to her belt and moved toward me. “We are ready,” she frowned at my apprehension. “Are you?”
Shoving the grenades into my pocket, I grunted “I guess so” and shrugged. I grimaced in the face of her continuous. “What do you want me to say? A month ago I was a teenager whose biggest concern was math grades. I'm no Rambo, ya know.”
Her frown faded and her features softened. “Sorry, Nathan. I have seen moments where you exhibited immense emotional strength that sometimes I forget you are young.”
“
Sir, Earth's satellites have moved out of position we are cleared to launch
.”
“Thank you, Gard.” Satou turned and shouted over his shoulder. “Strap yourselves in, we need to take off. It is now or never!”
Wraith hopped in the co-pilot chair and we strapped ourselves in. We launched from Docking Bay 5 of the Argus: One veteran council member, one recently promoted council member, a stoic robot, a Defense Fleet Captain, an ornery weapons specialist and yours truly—a scared teenager too nervous to even process the consequences of our decision.
Our invasion of Earth began.
Table of Contents
I Have A Dinosaur In My Closet
Had A Little Help From My Friends
Close Encounters Of The Unpleasant Kind
These Aren't The Aliens You're Looking For