Heaven Saga 1: The Lost Hero (33 page)

Celestia sighed. “It’s real easy for one who hasn’t
had to lead a nation.” She stared at the monitor. “His people’s ways aren’t
ours. I understand freedom and believe it can be allowed to a point, but democracy?”

Myden took out his black metal staff, etched with
glowing purple hieroglyphs and began pumping mental energy into it. With a
shout, he told everyone: “Get down!”

At that moment the palace began shaking as explosions
came from above.

* * *

Brian stood at the center of the battlefield with
scores of Kalaidians wanting to hear his words. He answered every question and
felt tired after a while. He looked up at the sky and saw a small, circular
craft flying towards the palace.
They’re really here. I’d better get moving
now.
He turned to the crowd.

“I’m sorry ladies of, but I have to go.” Despite a few
protests, he ran to the Mjolnir and got onboard.
I hope Myden can hold out
until I get there.

* * *

As the small Grey ship hovered over the palace firing
blasts of energy, Myden stood with staff in hand. Using all his mental energy
he created a glowing shield around everyone in the throne room.
I can sense
their fear.
Myden smiled under his hood.
We can’t let God have his way,
now can we Brian?
He thought to himself. The Kalaidians began looking
around, seeing him stand at the center of the room, absorbing the debris as it
fell. Not too long after, the roof caved open and they saw a Grey ship hovering
above them. He closed his eyes and focused everything on the defensive barrier.
Celestia, Mira, and Seles started towards him.

“Stay back!”
he warned them telepathically.
“I can only hold them off for a little
longer. Brian will take over soon.”

Celestia looked up. “So, Brian was right.” The others
in the room saw tears in her eyes. “Has Kali forsaken us?”

Seles hugged her mother while looking at the Grey
ship. “Believe in him mother. Whenever someone he cares about is in danger he
shows us why we should fear Terrans.”

“He’s also got a bad habit of getting hurt,” Mira said
with a wink.

Seles laughed. “That’s so true.”

* * *

Brian flew the Mjolnir as fast as he could to the
palace and drew the sword. As he neared he saw the Grey ship firing into the
palace.

“Take them out of the city at the speed of the gods,”
Myden said to him telepathically. With his remaining
power Myden spun his staff and fired a shot of energy into the Grey ship to
disrupt its systems for a moment. The Mjolnir barreled into the craft and
carried it as fast as it could outside of the city. As they neared the edge of
the metropolis, the Grey vessel started forming a strange barrier around
itself. 
They’re copying the Mjolnir!
Brian thought as the Grey ship
became the heart to a giant of energy the same size as the Mjolnir. It even had
the same weapons and shield. When he crashed them into a river the Grey clone
began attacking him. They were faster than he was and forced him onto the
defensive.
Can I control it?
He thought as he blocked a mighty slash. He
closed his eyes for a second and sighed.
I guess I have no choice.
When
he opened his eyes they began glowing blue. His movements increased in speed
and the Grey clone was now on the defensive. The Grey ship started putting up a
barrier like Myden’s but far more powerful. Laughing, Brian began his finishing
move. The Mjolnir twirled the massive
rakna
blade just above its head.

With an evil smile he snarled at the Grey ship.  “Now
you die!”

The spinning blade gathered energy and shifted into a
beam of light. He pointed the beam at their ship and blasted them into the
ground. Seeing his opponent prone, he ran the Mjolnir over. Although it
appeared to have no life the ship was still intact.

“I love the sound of grinding metal,” he said as the
Mjolnir stomped the Grey ship. He heard their telepathic pleas, their vain
attempts to stop him mentally. “Hold on a second, crushing them won’t be any
fun for me.” The Mjolnir took a step back. “Why don’t I have a little fun?” He
commanded the heat energy to leave the sword. With a precise stab the Mjolnir
picked up the other ship using the blade. He smiled at the sound of them dying
in agony as they pleaded for him to stop. He placed the battered ship into the
river and flooded it. After a minute of that he dragged the ship behind him as
he headed for a flat area to take off. Still smiling evilly he flew the Mjolnir
into the sky.

* * *

A crowd had gathered on the roof of the royal palace
to watch the Mjolnir beat and torture the Grey ship. They looked on with a mix
of awe and fear.

“What the hell’s he doing?” Celestia asked. “It’s like
he’s gone mad.”

Mira and Seles looked concerned. Myden stood next to
them and appeared tired. “He’s awakened. I hope he knows how to control the
rage.”

“Awakened?” Celestia asked.

“We call it berserking,” Mira said. “He’s manifested
it a few times in the past.” She watched the Mjolnir stab the defenseless Grey
ship. “But he’s never gone berserk in the Mjolnir before.”

“If he can’t control it, he’ll go on a rampage of
destruction,” Myden said as the Mjolnir flying into the sky, Grey ship in tow.
“I don’t think he has control.”

Seles turned to Jabril. “I need your fastest Nova,
now.”

“You’re planning on getting him back?” Mira asked.

“I can’t let him die like that,” Seles said as she
left with Jabril.

* * *

While the Mjolnir flew closer to space Brian heard the
few Greys left begging for him to stop.

“Sorry you ugly little creatures, I can’t let you off
the hook so easily,” he said, laughing.

When he reached low orbit he saw fleets of Kalaidian
ships hovering far above. With a twisted smile, Brian turned the Mjolnir around
and dove into the atmosphere.

“I wonder what cooked Grey smells like,” he laughed
out loud.

As the pleas for mercy faded the mobile suit dove
towards the capital. With a twisted smile he flipped the ship off the sword.
With a resounding spin he threw the dead vessel into the mountains near the
city. As it exploded he landed the Mjolnir next to the shattered remains and
looked down on it.

“That was fun,” he said. He gazed at the city. “I want
more.” He walked to edge of the plateau and drew the Mjolnir’s pulse cannon. He
pointed it at Vaelis with a very sick smile when his eyes starting glowing red.

“Brian, please stop this!” Seles cried.

He looked up when Seles fired a blast into the pulse
cannon. It shattered before he could fire. He saw a Novaguard spiraling down
towards him.

“Why!?” he shouted angrily. “If I destroy the
government I can set your people free!?”

Seles flew the Nova in a circle. “How is killing
twenty million innocent people going to save them? If you go on like this
you‘ll end up dead! Please Brian, stop this. Your enemy’s dead, there‘s no
reason to keep fighting!”

He paused.
What am I doing?
He looked at the
Nova circling him.
If she’s not on my side, she’s my enemy, right?
He
took his hands off the controls.
No, this isn’t right. I can’t kill Seles.
Not her.
Brian’s eyes stopped glowing. “I’m sorry Seles,” he said as he
stood up and moved towards the exit.
It feels like my body is on fire.
Brian thought as he opened the hatch. He fell outside and rolled onto his back.
Thanks for saving me Seles.

* * *

Mira sat beside Brian’s bed, checking him again. She
turned the Seles and Celestia, “He should be alright now.”

“I’m glad I stopped him when I did,” Seles said. As
she gazed down at him, he reached out with his hand and opened his eyes.

“Thank you,” he said as he sat up.

“You shouldn’t move around too much,” Mira said. “Your
wounds haven’t recovered.”

He grimaced, smiling weakly. “I’ll be alright.” He
looked at the silent Celestia. “Celestia, please call for a meeting with all
the ambassadors tomorrow. I need to make an official statement.”

“I’ll arrange for it right away,” Celestia said. She
left the room flanked by a number of guards.

“You two need to leave as well,” he said.

“Are you sure?” Seles asked.

“I can take care of myself,” he said. “The two of you
need to go back to the Avoni and distribute the vaccine. I’m sure Celi can
duplicate the formula with ease.”

“Alright,” Mira said, checking to make sure she had a
few vials on her.

“Take care,” Seles said before kissing him. “Once
you’re better I’m going to visit your quarters.”

Dressed in black clothes and matching cape, Brian
walked towards the High Court. There was a flurry of activity about the palace.
Gathering himself he sighed and walked inside. He went to the podium and called
up his notes from earlier on the tablet he carried in with him. A moment passed
before the lights came on and showed the collected ambassadors of the twenty
six Confederation worlds surrounding him. Each one glared at him with a mix of
fear, hate and awe. Celestia stood at the top level of the room, dressed in a
white and silver dress. She stood up and quieted the crowd.

“Brian Peterson, by your request I’ve gathered the
representatives of the Galactic Confederation residing on Kalaidia. In proxy of
the Confederation’s High Council, we will act in their place,” she said while
looking to the others and then back to Brian.

“Thank you Celestia,” he said respectfully. He scanned
the court and looked each of the ambassadors in the eye. “As you heard from my
announcement a few days ago I come from Earth. Given the situation I request
sanctuary according to Galactic Law 407:223. As a member of a species incapable
of joining the Confederation, I request to be assigned immediate citizenship to
Dega Jul or any member world that will accept me.”

The ambassadors spoke amongst themselves for a minute
before Celestia quieted them. The first to speak was the Odairan ambassador, a
short and hairy rat man.

“May I ask why you wish to be a citizen of an unclear
political state like Dega Jul?” he asked. A few of the other ambassadors
whispered likewise.

Brian turned to him. “My preference stems from the
fact that Dega Jul is a melting pot of peoples and culture. As I stated before,
I’ll accept citizenship with any member race that will take me in.”

“Are you sure?” Celestia asked.

“I am.”

“Then as the proxy of the High Council, I hereby
assign the Terran Brian Peterson legal citizenship of the Degan System,”
Celestia paused, “But, only under the condition he accepts citizenship as per
the laws of Kalaidia. Brian Peterson will take the inheritance he obtained from
Gaelic Kein and be considered the Kein family‘s
Rakna
Jaersa
.”

“I object!” the Shandi ambassador bellowed has he
slammed his fist into the stone desk in front of him. “Is this a ploy for you
to gain more power?”

Celestia shot him a dirty look. Before she spoke,
Brian walked over to the Shandi ambassador.

“I accept her decision,” he said, looking the snakeman
in the eye. “Because I’m human, I have had no prior wars or long lived hatred
of your people good sir. I may look Kalaidian, but I’m not Kalaidian. My blood
is that of Earth and I hold no bias amongst any of your peoples.” Brian walked
back to the podium and scanned his notes. “The real reason I came here is
because of this,” he said while holding up a vial containing a yellow liquid.
“A hundred and fifty years ago a terrible plague ravaged the people of
Kalaidia. It was thought to be from within, but the late Gaelic Kein found the
truth. In his last days he discovered true nature of the disease and who
created it.”

On each of the ambassador’s monitors the image of the
nanomachines came up. Knowing what it was they were looking at they began
murmuring amongst themselves.

“As each of you can see the nanomachines were
reprogrammed via an outside source. This level of precision is possible amongst
only the Original Five member races,” Brian explained while looking to each of
those ambassadors, clad in their exoskeletons. “But fortunately for them, the
evidence points to a species that exists outside the laws of the
Confederation.”

“Are you speaking of the Greys?” the Malcovin
ambassador.

Brian nodded. “Yes. The evidence is the Grey vessel
that attacked the royal palace. At Queen Celestia’s orders, the wreckage is
being collected by a mixed group of member races. A hundred and fifty six years
ago the Greys came to Kalaidia. They gave power to those who bowed to them and
in return, the leaders of those noble families unleashed the plague. All it
took was a single Grey’s telepathic command to start the disease.” He called up
a holographic display of the Confederation. “As you can see here,” Brian
pointed to the Kalaidian star systems, “Kalaidia is a prime staging ground for
the Greys to invade.”