Stars on Fire Read online

  "Where's Drewsk?" I ask.

  "His team is picking up some supplies," Kleethak replies. "They're supposed to meet us at the site after day break."

  "Hopefully that's not too late."

  We push through the grass as the suns lift higher into the early morning sky, draping a pale light across the concrete building ahead, and for the first time we realize it is set on an island in the middle of calm waters. A large oval lake reflecting the glow of the suns wraps its long, liquid arms around the rock-crusted island in a desperate attempt to keep the structure safe. Faded lights glow from the windows, and we can see shadows moving past the light, shifting around inside the large building.

  Luxen lifts his hand as we approach the edge of the long grass. The structure appears to be peering back at us with off-white eyes and shadowy irises moving softly within. It looks like the square head of some giant who is wading neck-deep in a pool, glaring at us, trying to convince us that everything's okay.

  But it's not. If Segaris is right, Reblox is on their way here now, and the lives of the people in the building rest within our hands, just as my parent's lives rested in mine once. They rested in my hands like their picture rests in the pendant around my neck.

  I let them down. I can't do it again.

  CHAPTER TWO

  My ears are filled with the thunder of a thousand hooves as the lorks storm across the meadow, flattening grass and leaving a swath of destruction like a tornado.

  "Brie, eyes front!" screams Luxen. I spin on my heels, just catching the offshoot group of Reblon commandos charging towards us.

  "This is Drewsk's master plan?" I scream over the noise of combat and the rumble of charging quadrupeds. "Riding in on lorkback?"

  Luxen presses his energy weapon to his eye, takes a moment to sight on one of the approaching commandos and fires. The tall, fur-covered soldier jerks and whips away, disappearing down in the grass.

  A quite grinding noise like the scraping of two rocks together comes from the island up ahead. As I squint toward it, two tall pillars slowly lift from among the clusters of rock scattered across the island. A rapid series of snaps echoes above the dull roar of hooves and a metallic quad-barrel cannon ratchets out from each pillar, to defend the island with a series of elevated auto-turrets.

  So the island isn't completely defenseless. That's good, I suppose. Just as the thought enters my mind, bolts of orange light burst from cannons situated around the island. A staggered concert of abrupt energy blasts charge straight towards the oncoming Reblon horde. Wide shouldered commandos dive towards the ground as the first stabs of plasma hit the armored truck and splash away. Plasma residue scatter into the air, leaving burnt scorch marks across the angled armor, but no other clear signs of damage.

  Previously unseen, three sleek hoverbikes bank around the truck, leaning towards it as the thrusters carry them just above the ground. Reblon pilots form sloped mounds above the controls, hugging tightly to their small vehicles.

  Immediately I get flash backs to Reblox and the ill-fated Resistance mission to capture the Senator. It was a night time raid filled with Crashers, hover bikes, and so much destruction.

  My life over the past six months has been outlined and punctuated by death. Each major milestone has been accented by a particularly violent battle or unexpectedly harsh explosion, as if these events have somehow replaced my sweet sixteen party, my first kiss, and the first time my school airball team wins the championship.

  Looking back on past dreams, thoughts, and remembrances from my childhood somehow has more intense meaning now because all recent memories are simple snapshots of events surrounding death or destruction. Is this what life is now, sporadic images connecting one battle to another?

  The time for contemplation ends as the main plasma cannon on the armored truck explodes to life, sending a solid spear of energy arcing towards the island. It strikes the base of the first quad-cannon, rending metal, blasting rock and sand, and twisting pillars to send them crashing to the rocky ground amid a shower of sparks and smoke.

  The other cannons continue to fire, sending at least one hoverbike pitching forward under the impact an orange cloud of plasma, tossing its driver end over end up into the air like a rag doll. Plasma beams trace through the air, to envelop the approaching Reblon horde, throw commandos aside like discarded refuse, and split the metal armor of the bikes. One stray beam punches a Crasher mech in the chest, splitting the entire contraption like a metal can. Bits and pieces scatter apart as the beam emerges from the other side of the Crasher.

  I try to keep myself from imagining what happened to the commando in the pilot's seat, but the harsh truth is, I've seen enough damage over the past few months to have a clear picture of what happens when a particularly intense plasma beam encounters flesh and bone.

  Chattering weapons fire comes from my right. A larger group of Reblons have broken from the main group and are charging towards us, mostly on foot, but a few of them in mechanized suits. Kleethak is already sweeping left to avoid gunfire. Luxen comes up behind him with his plasma weapon barking. He has nothing for protection other than stalks of grass and wheat, but he stands there just the same, giving no ground.

  While lost in the chaos of the battle ahead, I had almost forgotten about the thudding hooves of the lorks, but all of a sudden they're all around me like sweeping shadows of movement with their legs pumping, their feet pounding, and their sleek, earless heads lowered. Athelonian Commandos ride bareback with two hands clasped around rudimentary reigns while the other two hands cradle plasma weapons. Nearly every one of them is firing wildly into the approaching Reblon crowd.

  My eyes widen and my mouth drops open. I had no idea we even had this many Athelonians in the Resistance. I didn't realize the Resistance itself had this many members. It's almost staggering. Did we bring everyone to this one battle?

  Isn't that a huge risk?

  I don't even see the blast that slams into my left shoulder. It comes from nowhere and punches me high and to the left, spinning me around. Pain racks my chest as I strike the ground, grass scraps my face, and dirt mashes into my mouth and nose.

  "Brie!" Luxen is running over, weaving between the charging lorks. He is amazingly agile for a kid. Only he's not a kid, not any more.

  "I'm fine!" I shout, coughing out black dirt and flecks of gray grass. "I'm fine." Pushing myself to my feet, I rotate my shoulder, which aches, but the skin appears unbroken. It had been a glancing blow of some kind. It hurt for a minute, but the pain is passing quickly. As I right myself, more lorks charge past, riders upright and firing.

  In the distance, I see a hoverbike bank to the left and come around to target the rushing herd with nose-mounted cannons. A light, shrill chatter sends pulsed energy streaking into the creatures as they approach. The first three lorks stumble and topple forward, dumping their riders. The next two break away to avoid the fire as their riders catch the hoverbike in a plasma crossfire, throwing the driver off and into the dirt.

  As I pull myself back together and grab my weapon, Luxen lifts his own weapon, with one last glance over his shoulder to make sure I'm all right. Everything is happening so quickly. Bikes are screaming over grass. Mechanized suits are leaping into the air, twisting, and firing. In the back ground are the crashing hooves of lorks and the booming cannon fire from the armored truck. It's a sort of strangely choreographed chaos.

  "Brie, you upright?" the voice shouts in my ear.

  "Yeah, Drewsk, I'm good. Your steeds are getting chewed up out here! Your master plan isn't going so well."

  "Keep pressing forward! We need to get to that island. Even if we lose the station, the personnel inside are invaluable to the resistance!"

  A blast of hot wind sweeps down to envelops me. I drop to my knees and lift my arm as if that might somehow protect me from the thermal wave of vertical thrusters. Overhead a small Reblon transport sweeps low. The dark, armored ship skims just over the heads of the lork riders, twists left, and comes back around.


  "Take it down!" I shout, firing my plasma weapon at the transport, though I recognize that my shots will do little other than leave nasty energy burns on the armored plate. A few lork riders take notice, adjusting their own aim and blanketing the ship in crossing beams.

  Underneath the transport, thick armored doors pull apart and swing low to reveal sleek, cone-shaped vehicles. They tip backwards, then drop from the transport to slam down into the water at the East end of lake.

  "They're dropping water transports! Resistance, converge on those boats! Don't let them board!"

  The words are barely out of my mouth when another thick blast of energy screams from the main cannon on the armored truck and slams into another automated turret, blasting it into dozens of fragments. We are outnumbered and over-matched, and this battle is just about over in less than three minutes.

  More and more lorks scramble away or stumble over and fall underneath the assault of the hoverbikes and Crashers. We're about thirty seconds from this being an official bloodbath.

  I hear some familiar tribal screams coming from the Reblon Commandos as a group of Crasher mech suits breaks away from the group and leaps our way, arcing into the air, then slamming down on the grass with their weapon arms raised. They're preparing to clear this area to make their final approach.

  I duck down close to the ground as weapons explode with energy beams, slamming into lorks and cutting down Athelonian foot soldiers as they lunge forward. Luxen and Kleethak are pulling away left, breaking wide, and staying low to the ground, but all of us can only go unnoticed so far.

  "You need to get to that observation station!" Drewsk shouts over the comm.

  "Uh, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but half of a Reblon company is between here and there!"

  A hear the low scream of whining thruster spins, then a symphony of connected roars, and sudden blasts of wind, but they're not coming from ahead. They're coming from behind, close behind.

  "Heads up!" I shout over the channel to Luxen and Kleethak. I see them halting to turn towards me. Streaks of color hurtling into the air from behind us become familiar shapes silhouetted against the bright sky as they leap up, arc, and come back down. Broad shoulders and abruptly angled heads form a recognizable shadow as they halt in the air, using back-mounted thrusters to hover several meters above the ground.

  A glance towards the Reblons assures me that they have noticed the mechanized battle suits, too. There are dozens of them, but these aren't Reblon Crashers. These are Athelonian security. Dark blue armor glistens in the brightening light of morning. With a cacophony of ratcheting snaps and whirring motors, each battle suit separates its twin arms into a quartet while shifting various panels and engaging multiple weapons.

  "This is your chance!" Drewsk shouts in my ear. I throw myself to my feet and run. Almost instantly I charge past Kleethak, who steps aside, pressing a calming hand to my back as I run by. I barely see him move, but I feel the hand and feel a sense of calm and warmth soaking down through my body. My shoulder muscles relax, feeding energy to my pumping legs as I run faster forward through the tall grass. Awareness of the chaos battle recedes behind a curtain of swirling faded rainbow colors.

  A hoverbike screams forward, dragging contrails of orange and purple. Three lorks dash in on an intercept course. The bareback riders fire energy weapons that tear into the bike rider. He flings right off the seat, jerking the handlebars. With a lurching lunge, the bike dips into the grass, then angles up and left, bounces across the ground, and slams into the trio of lork riders. Rigidly muscled, four-limbed riders scatter from their mounts. Two of the Athelonians go cartwheeling through the pale air while the third topples forward, face first to the ground with his legs bent up and around his back. Two of the lorks crumple to the ground, but the third breaks away, leaping over the tumbling bike. I angle my run towards it.

  Everything in my vision blurs to a vague fog. Only the lithe shape of the dashing lork clarifies in my eyes. I twist right and run faster to intercept the lork. I reach my hand around its thick neck as I leap and pull myself up and onto its muscular back. I recover the leather straps, pulling its head up and towards me to adjust the path of its run back towards the lake shore.

  Plasma blasts flashes from my right, cutting through the air just above my head as I plaster myself to the back of the creature. I can feel the shifting movement of the animal's muscular frame beneath me. The wind rushing through my hair sends goose-flesh rolling up the contours of my arms.

  Two Reblon Commandos up ahead shift to spin toward me, lifting their weapons. I guide the animal to the right, leap into the air, and barrel into the two soldiers, sending them scrambling backwards and their weapons spinning up into the air.

  Another arcing beam of plasma screams through the air to strike the second gun turret tower, hack through a support column, and barrel into the concrete wall of the structure. A bright flower blooms at the base of the building, throwing chunks of rock and dirt while sending a third tower twisting down towards the beach. Movement on the other end of the lake draws my attention to the boat full of Reblon Commandos that is beginning its swift trek towards the structure. Time is running out.

  I guide the lork towards the right, closing my eyes momentarily as I focus. My body seems to twist upon itself folding inward, re-knotting, and re-inflating to leave me in Bragdon form. My slender, lithe form makes it easier to leap up into a crouch on the spine of the lork and maintain balance. Four-fingered hands now clutch the reigns as I guide it on an intercept course.

  To my right, a hoverbike roars towards a crowd of lorks. Its huddled rider reaches for the controls of his front cannons, but jabbing pointed heels into the ribs of my ride makes it leaps forward, able to move much more quickly with my lighter weight upon it. Angling left, I piston my legs to throw myself into the air as I release the reigns to send the creature galloping off in the opposite direction.

  At the last moment, the Reblon glances up at me, his eyes growing wide, but it's too late. My feet strike the front of the bike, tipping it sharply downward and the shift in momentum, jerks him roughly forward, his hands springing from the steering sticks. I dart, lift my leg, and snap it out into a swift kick, catching him in the upper chest and sending him back-flipping from his seat to the ground, end-over-end. In one smooth motion, I swing my leg over the seat and engage the rear thrust to throw the bike into rapid acceleration. As I shoot over the gradual curve of the grassy hill, long stalks slap the angled front and are dragged under by the quick motion.

  Cresting the top of the hill, I rev the thrusters and pick up speed going down the other side, angling the bike towards the water. It is no longer as calm as it was. The wakes from the Reblon boats are sending small waves crashing against the rocky shore where the meadow meets the hard packed dirt. Both boats are in the water about halfway to the structure, which is already wrapped in a curling embrace of the thick smoke that is obscuring the windows. Only three gun turret towers stand above the cloak of smog. Even as I approach the water, one of the three towers is drilled by rapid bursts of energy weapons and detonates, spraying metal down upon the roof below.

  With a splash and spray of pale water, the bike moves from solid to liquid, the thrusters underneath kicking up cascading steam and boiling lake water. A winding path of rippling water follows the narrow form of the attack craft. I follow it through the lake waters, hit one of the crashing waves, and leap up into the air for a moment, before slamming back down on the water.

  Reblon shouting tells me that the commandos in the boat have seen me coming, but I push it away, focusing on reaching the structure before they do. I lean and direct the hoverbike towards the boats, coming in on an intercept course as I launch a volley of energy fire. Purple beams hurtle just over the surface of the water, reflecting the plasma in rippling mirror images that breaking away under each shifting wave.

  The narrow, angled boat hits a wave and jumps over the first volley, but I'm already pulling back on the sticks to point
the nose of the bike up and rattle off a burst of follow up shots.

  This time, the first two strike the boat right near it's bow, shattering the surface of the watercraft and blasting clean through to the other side. As the pointed front explodes apart the boat pitches forward, the bow plows down into the water, and the stern shoots up into the air, sending three commandos tumbling from their seats.

  I twist the sticks left, and swerve quickly as three blasts of gunfire scream just over my head, the Reblons in the second boat making their presence known. As I turn away I can see the vast acreage of the meadow, now covered in shadows, both moving and unmoving. The large armored truck barrels towards the lake while hundreds of smaller forms scatter around and about it with a wide array of figures shooting, launching, and some battling hand-to-hand.

  It's pure, horrifying carnage. As I watch, a Reblon Crasher slams down on a lork and his rider, then swivels and launches a flame thrower, enveloping a second animal in a rush of orange and red death. Victorious for the briefest of moments, the Crasher twists to find another target just in time for an Athelonian mechanized suit to launch three narrow rockets into it, blasting it into oblivion.