The Heroes Fall -1- When War Calls

  Chapter Thirteen

  Seek out that which is hidden beyond, the truth lies somewhere in between.

  January 19, 997 R.E.

  ‘Target moving north, sir.’

  The voice came from the small black communicator Kobin Guyde held in his hand.

  ‘He is going to Corsec,’ said Kobin. ‘Have you sighted him?’

  ‘Negative,’ came the reply. ‘Target remains ahead.’

  ‘Find him,’ said Kobin. ‘Report back to me in six hours.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  Kobin threw the communicator to a guard standing by a stationary vehicle. ‘If word comes from the scout, bring it to me immediately.’

  ‘Your command, sir,’ said the guard, saluting.

  Kobin walked on without returning the gesture, pulling his hood up so that his eyes were blackened by its shadow.

  It was early morning at the fort, daylight yet to make its appearance through the thick clouds still lingering above. The men of the Alliance had worked tirelessly since the attack, repairing the damage, while their commanders attempted to locate where the jets had come from. Kobin had been excused of all duties. He was not a soldier or commander of any rank, so was free to roam the fort as he wished. He had dedicated most of his time to the pursuit of the young Callibrian boy, Jaden Daiyus, the son of his travelling companion, Tyral. He had spared Jaden’s life, for both their sakes. It was not likely that the Daijuar would help Jaden; there was no gain from leaving him alive, but he could not bring himself to destroy the final piece of his friend’s existence. Part of him had to live on, somehow.

  In time, Kobin knew he would need to explain the lack of results to Alkon, why they still had failed to uncover the Daijuarn hideouts. He could stall for time for now. Alkon did not know whether or not the Daijuar were nearby, or how long it would take for them to find and help the young stray. Kobin had time to think, to prepare for the questions that would come. And then he would have Alkon executed or cast out by the High Council. After Alkon was gone, Jaden could live on, and none would follow him anymore.

  ‘You have lost the boy.’

  Kobin slowed at the remark, turning slightly toward his left shoulder as he stopped. Alkon had stepped out from the darkness behind the building Kobin had passed.

  ‘A proud moment has come for you and your men,’ said Kobin. ‘Your scout has stumbled upon the boy’s path.’

  ‘My men are talented trackers, they will find him wherever he is,’ said Alkon confidently, circling to Kobin’s right side, keeping his distance. ‘But for him to be found,’ he went on, ‘he must first be lost.’

  ‘With more practice, your men will not lose their captives,’ said Kobin bluntly.

  ‘Your ignorance surpasses your wit, Callibrian. Do not think you can rely upon magic tricks to be safe here. A bullet can come from any direction.’

  ‘As can a man’s failure,’ Kobin retorted.

  Alkon circled back to the left, refusing to take his angered stare away from Kobin as he did. ‘You are right about one thing. The boy will be found, but not by the scout you sent. I have ordered a helicopter to locate him. He will be dead in the coming days.’

  ‘You fool,’ whispered Kobin.

  ‘What did you say?’

  ‘You will condemn this unit for the sake of impatience, and risk losing our only chance at finding the Daijuarn hideouts!’

  Alkon grinned from beneath his anger. Kobin had allowed him to find a weakness he was able to exploit. Kobin quickly calmed himself, hiding his vulnerability the best he could. The damage was small. He could still recover.

  ‘The only evidence I have seen of the Daijuar is the powerful one’s shield when we first arrived here,’ said Alkon with a note of triumph. ‘He was defeated with ease. They are not a threat to us.’

  Kobin was silent in thought.

  Alkon circled back to his right side. ‘Have you nothing to say?’

  With slow, purposeful movements, Kobin straightened his coat, seemingly unaware that Alkon had spoken as he looked directly ahead.

  ‘You must answer a commander, Callibrian!’

  ‘If the Daijuar are not a threat,’ said Kobin casually, ‘why have you developed weaponry solely for defeating them? I understand that the High Council has not yet heard of this work. Perhaps I should ask them what should be done about the boy.’

  Alkon laughed. ‘You think your threats mean something to me. You are new to the Alliance, Callibrian, do not mistake the High Council’s kindness to you as genuine interest. They are grateful for what you have done for us, but you have not yet earned their respect. I will notify them on the progress when it is ready to be used.’

  ‘And what will you use it for?’ asked Kobin.

  ‘If by chance the Daijuar stand in our way again, they will wish they had not. There is no more to this discussion. We have no need of the boy. He will meet his end in two days.’ Before Kobin was able to protest, Alkon added, ‘And you will not speak of him again.’

  Alkon walked briskly away, leaving Kobin standing where he was. For this bout between them, he had been the victor, and he would not allow Kobin another chance to make it otherwise. In the future, he suffered no delusion of there being peace between them. They were destined to clash again if Kobin insisted that his opinion should not only be heard but followed as well. Kobin had to learn his place, and in time, perhaps even keep his comments to himself.

  Alkon smiled as he walked. The attack had been a drain on him, but he was starting to feel a little better already, and if Kobin wished to use his magic tricks around him again, Alkon would have a surprise for him.

  As Kobin wandered slowly back to his quarters, Alkon entered the laboratory where he knew he would find the head of the Equan science team, Ethan Coride.

  ‘I want to see it,’ said Alkon, startling Ethan from his work over a small electronic device.

  Ethan looked up from the desk, the lamp swaying slightly as he did. A magnifying function on the headset he wore retracted to allow for normal vision, and he took a moment to register what had been said. Seconds later, he straightened up and walked through the door at the other end of the room. Alkon waited, crossing to the desk and glancing momentarily over Ethan’s latest project. It made little sense, alien-looking instruments strewn across the flat surface and little more. This was why he enjoyed visiting Ethan. There was always something new and amazing to be seen.

  Ethan returned soon after with a metal case. It appeared he was able to hold it easily with one hand, but chose to hold it with two, as if it were a delicate vase. Ethan put the case on another desk to Alkon’s right and opened it carefully.

  Alkon approached him. ‘Is it done?’

  ‘It is not yet as powerful as we had hoped, but it is useable, yes.’

  ‘Will it do as we planned?’

  ‘It is hard to say, General,’ said Ethan, reaching into the case and taking out a metal brace. ‘If you are able to catch them by surprise, it will suffice, but it has not yet been able to penetrate our shields entirely.’

  ‘I see. How many of these have you made?’

  ‘This is the first of three that is complete,’ said Ethan, breaking the brace into two sections.

  ‘May I wear this one?’

  ‘If you wish, General.’ Ethan signalled for Alkon to hold out his right arm and roll up his sleeve. ‘This will fit underneath your clothing. You will lose some movement until we have corrected its skeletal system, but it will function.’

  Ethan clamped the two sections back together over Alkon’s wrist, positioning four directly over his knuckles. He then reached into the case again to retrieve a rectangular black box, which he fitted to the brace at Alkon’s elbow.

  ‘This is its power supply,’ Ethan explained. ‘You will need to recharge it after each use. And this,’ he said, taking out a black arced component that he fitted to the top of Alkon’s forearm, ‘is where the charge will concentrate. Move your hand as little as possible while wearing this. The tu
bes it uses to fire are flexible, but they will lose their effectiveness with each wear.’

  ‘I understand,’ said Alkon. ‘How do I use it?’

  ‘With this,’ said Ethan. He reached into the case a final time and placed a trigger mechanism over the back of Alkon’s hand. It fitted perfectly over the tubes, holding them in place. Ethan rolled the General’s sleeve down so that the device was completely concealed and then placed a new glove over his hand. ‘There is a latch here for your thumb. Open it when you want to use it. There are two buttons inside; blue is for charging, red is for firing. The charges will fire systematically from left to right. You have eight shots in total, but it will take one minute to charge between the two rounds.’

  ‘And this is the same technology as the plasma cannon?’ asked Alkon.

  ‘It is, General.’

  Alkon’s smile was devious. ‘Daijuarn killer,’ he said. ‘Let us see if the Callibrian can defend against this.’ With a laugh to himself, he stood and headed for the door. ‘You have done well, Ethan. I will make sure you are rewarded beyond anything ever seen in the Alliance to date.’

  Before Ethan was able to respond, Alkon had left. As quickly as he had walked to the laboratory, he now hurried to his quarters, where he rested for a short time in a high-backed, brown leather chair, looking over the weapon he now possessed underneath his sleeve. After a few moments’ contemplation, he took a bottle from a drawer of his desk and poured some of its contents into a glass. He drank it quickly, careful to use only his left hand so that he would not bend the weapon. He then poured two more glasses and drank them both equally as fast. He sat back, relaxing, awaiting the drink to take effect. He had to dull his excitement. His eagerness would raise questions where there should be none. This was how he had been masking how he truly felt for much of the previous months. In such troubled times, it was of absolute importance that none knew his thoughts other than him. There was too much at risk. Everything had to go perfectly for his plans to work.

  As his smiled faded and his head began to swirl a little, he summoned his second-in-command, Lieutenant General Liet Revarn.

  ‘You called, General?’ said Liet, entering a short time later.

  Alkon did his best to maintain his composure under the new influence. ‘We will move to take the city of Waikor in one week,’ he said.

  Liet studied him a moment. ‘You will defy High Council orders?’

  Alkon nodded. ‘I do not wish to fight any longer than I must. The sooner this is over, the sooner I may return home.’

  ‘You are beginning to sound like your father, General.’

  Alkon waved away the statement with his left hand. ‘War has its uses, but it cannot be allowed to consume one’s entire life. Since I was but a youth, this is all I have known. It is time, my friend, we will move.’

  ‘As you wish, General,’ said Liet, turning slightly toward the door. ‘If that is all?’

  Alkon held one finger up, signalling for Liet to remain. ‘I told you to watch the Callibrian,’ he said. ‘Have you anything to report?’

  ‘No, General.’

  ‘Impossible. I have seen him converse with the High Council more times than the two of us combined. It is almost as if he is in charge of this fort. He is hiding something.’

  ‘Is there proof of this?’ asked Liet.

  Alkon looked up, carefully reading what he could in Liet’s eyes. He then looked away. ‘No,’ he said. ‘It might be that I am simply tired of fighting. Perhaps I am seeing things that are not there. It is times like these that I wished I had not joined the Alliance.’

  ‘We are able to discontinue our service at any time,’ said Liet.

  ‘And be a slave?’ Alkon chuckled. ‘I would rather death.’

  ‘Are you not a slave now?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Alkon, ‘you are right. I am a slave now, but I am a slave with power! There is a difference.’ He paused, playing with the glass with his left hand. ‘Every day I think of what happened to my father,’ he said.

  ‘He was a brilliant man,’ said Liet.

  ‘Yes, he should not have been made an outcast. We could use more men like him in our ranks.’

  Liet seemed to flinch at these words, turning so that he was looking at the walls. Alkon watched him with interest. There was something not right about the way he moved and the expression that had just crossed his face.

  ‘Does something bother you, friend?’ asked Alkon.

  Liet took a moment to reply. ‘No,’ he said. ‘But you will understand. It is better to have a father outcast than a father killed.’

  Alkon nodded slowly as he lowered his eyes. ‘Yes, that is true. I know your pain well. Neither of us have seen our fathers in many years. In this, we are brothers.’

  ‘May I be excused, General?’ asked Liet.

  ‘Yes,’ said Alkon, flicking his hand toward the door. ‘Continue keeping a close watch on the Callibrian. Remember, I want to know his every move.’

  Liet bowed, seemingly unable to speak, and left the room.

  Alkon poured another drink as he sat back in his chair, nursing the glass as he stared blankly at the wall ahead, wondering what he had just seen in the lieutenant-general.