Rebellion (24 page)

The cruiser set down at the visitor’s entrance and they made their way inside. Such a large group including uniformed soldiers garnered the attention of security before they were five steps in. Three men in dark suits flanked by four guards approached them. Two of the suited men were tall and lanky but the middle one was short and pudgy. Pudge appeared to be the one in command. The guards and the soldiers squared off, weapons drawn on both sides. More guards were being summoned by the woman behind a reception desk.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Pudge asked.

“Everyone just relax,” Anantha said. “I’m Supreme Commander of the newly restructured Sandarian military and joint commander of the Galactic Trade Organization.”

Pudge looked like he was about to argue but Torril cut him off. “I have a full battalion en route as we speak. Since Mitah has been under a planetary rulership sanctioned by the Sandarian Empire for the past one hundred and seventy-eight years, I suggest you accept our authority and put away your weapons.”

“He’s right, you know.” A bald man carrying an arm full of papers rushed toward them. “Unless you and Mortog’s men are planning on taking on the entire Sandarian military?”

Pudge’s face reddened. “Of course not. I assume you have identification?”

“Are you daft, man?” The bald dude asked.

Dani was starting to like this guy.

“Have you not seen his image plastered over every interplanetary feed we receive?”

The guards looked increasingly uncomfortable. The two tall, suited guys seemed to simultaneously decide to throw Pudge under the bus and both acknowledged Anantha’s authority. The guards lowered their weapons and Pudge acted as though the whole thing was his idea.

“Excellent,” Anantha said. “We are here to relieve Chancellor Mortog of his duties. Take us to him.”

“If you will pardon the interruption,” the bald man said. “I am Terrance Florensham, chief administrative assistant to Chancellor Mortog. The chancellor is not here right now. However, it is most urgent that you come with me. Lord Cavacent is being detained on Mortog’s orders. I fear for his well being.”

“Show us the way,” Ian said.

Terrance led them down a corridor on the backside of Mortog’s office. “I believe Mortog can access this area from his office, but only he knows how.” He was surprisingly quick as he made his way to the end of the hall, stopping just short of the back wall. Glancing around them, he addressed the commander in a hushed voice. “The newly elected president of Sandaria was here earlier. They set up a portal in this little room from hell. I believe he had a special interest in Lord Cavacent.”

Ian’s anger rolled over Dani, colliding with her own.

“Let us in, now,” Ian said.

“Please, be careful.” He raised his hand on the left side of the hall, and a panel slid open. The angle of the entry prevented them from seeing anything, but a muffled groan let them know the space wasn’t empty.

“I don’t sense your father at all,”
Dani said.

“That was his voice, I’m sure of it, but I don’t sense him either.”

Dani and Ian rushed down a short hall and into what could only be called a torture chamber. Gordat Prayda turned to them with a snarl on his face.

“This is not over,” Prayda said before taking three steps to the side and disappearing. Sandarian Portal Masters might not be responding to the Supreme Commander, but they were helping Prayda.

Dani and Ian rushed to Rucon’s side. Ian adjusted the table to lay flat and used his laser to cut Rucon free. Once he sliced the cords around his wrists, Rucon’s psi trembled around them.

“Gods,” Ian said. “What is that?” He fingered the bands.

“They’re called psi-bands.” Terrance approached from behind. “Mortog has a team of scientists who specialize in technology that can be particularly subversive. I shall not miss the chancellor.”

“Do you have a healer at the palace?” Dani asked.

“I have already taken the liberty of summoning them. I’m afraid they are not unused to situations such as this. Just last week it was a mere slip of a boy…and it wasn’t his first time.”

“Connor,”
Ian said.

Dani gently brushed some hair out of Rucon’s eyes. “Are you okay?”

Rucon licked his parched lips. “I will be. Fortunately Prayda likes to play with his food.”

Two healers in white rushed in and started to work.

Anantha stood a few paces back, out of their way.

Rucon greeted the commander. “Prayda’s actions were unprovoked.”

Anantha nodded. “I will initiate a trade block with Sandaria. We have a situation with the Portal Masters there.”

He explained about the failing portals across the galaxy. “It’s only a theory at this point, but your brother is fairly confident.”

The commander turned to Terrance. “Thank you for your excellent sense of priorities.”

The man bowed. “I am most relieved at your intervention on our planet.” Shame rolled off him, and Dani felt sorry for what his life must have been like.

“Do you know where Mortog went?”

“He did not say, but I believe it had something to do with the Curzans.”

“He’s after Ria and Ty. We need to find them,”
Dani said.

Ian turned to Anantha. “We’re going after my EP.”

The commander didn’t need further explanation. “I will see to your father’s safety. Go.”

* * * *

“Commander Anantha.” Loc sat in his office looking at the commander’s vid feed. “My apologies for not returning your communiqués sooner. As you’ve undoubtedly noticed, the guild is having some problems of its own.” Loc had ignored the calls and requests from Supreme Commander Anantha as long as he could. He couldn’t afford to alienate the GTO further, so damage control was in order.

“Obviously, we have noticed.” The commander did not look happy. “Would you care to explain why portals are failing?”

Loc straightened up in his chair. “I’m sure you are familiar with the nature of the guild. We do not share our religion with outsiders. I’m afraid this is something of a crisis. I assure you we are working on a resolution
.
We hope to have the portals reinstated as soon as possible. I should think less than a month.” That might be pushing it but was what the commander wanted to hear.

“I would ask that you keep me informed on the progress.”

“Of course, commander.”

“There is one more thing.”

Loc nodded and waited.

“President Gordat Prayda attempted to kill Lord Cavacent today. He has overstepped his authority. I have issued a warrant for his arrest. I assume this won’t be a problem for you?”

Loc struggled to keep his face neutral.
That fool.
“I am sorry to hear that. Of course, your request will be honored. What would you like done with him?”

“Hold him. I will send a squad to pick him up for trial.” The commander blew out a long breath, looking tired.

Loc imagined his job was probably one of the most trying in the universe right now, but somehow he failed to find sympathy. “As you wish. You will be notified when he is in custody. Is that all?”

“For now.”

The link dropped and his holo disappeared. Loc stood. He would need security to apprehend the president. He wasn’t going to enjoy what he had to do next, but he didn’t regret it either. Gordat Prayda had been the perfect puppet president on Sandaria after the fall of the emperor, but his ego and greed were tiresome. Fortunately, the problem was about to resolve itself quite nicely. The man’s greed had sealed his own fate.

* * * *

Rain pelted Ria’s face as they scrambled over sharp boulders at the base of the cliff face. She’d been doing a good job of not thinking about the dream until her foot slipped and she crashed down on one knee. She muffled a cry and looked up to find Ty reaching down for her. She didn’t state the obvious. They both remembered the exact moment this happened in the dream.

“Come on, Red. We’re almost there.”

Ria wiped rain from her eyes, but it was a futile effort. She followed behind Ty, feeling like a prisoner being led to her execution. The woricks had been trailing them for the last five minutes, their leathery bodies darting between the trees below. It forced them to the base of the cliffs in order to limit the possible direction of attack. They were soaked to the bone and the constant use of psi had them both drained. They had no weapons, but one thing was working for them—for some reason, the Mitah security team had backed off and was hovering a safe distance away.

“Are you sure they don’t know about the weapons cache?” Ria asked.

“As sure as I can be.”

They continued on. It was a game of cat and mouse. The team had the ability to kill them on the spot but was doing nothing more than track them.

“There,” Ty said, breathing heavily.

Ahead, a tall vertical slit opened in the cliff face. Ria knew it reached to the top, knew the rain would be pouring in from above. She’d been to that party too many times. It didn’t end well. “Ty, this is crazy.” She glanced back to the hovering cruiser. “What are they doing? Why haven’t they attacked us yet?”

The arrival of a second security cruiser answered her question. This one came straight for them. As if on cue, or maybe because they’d been spooked, four woricks launched an attack.

Ty pushed her behind him and backed them against the cliff face.

“Oh, you did not just do that. Move your ass over, Ty.”

He wasn’t happy but he moved.

The woricks bounded up the incline from the treeline. Ria grabbed a couple of hefty rocks and readied for the attack.

A flash of light caught her attention. The cruiser had engaged its weapons. That was it. One way or another, they were done.

Ty shot her a look. “I love you, Red.”

There was no time to answer. The woricks were only feet away when the cruiser shot a laser cannon and blasted three of the animals. The charred carcasses hissed in the rain. The fourth animal hesitated a moment before launching itself at them. Ty shoved her sideways and the animal smashed into the cliff face, its left shoulder seared off from the laser cannon. It continued to wail with its last breath.

Ria landed hard on her ass, but Ty had kept his feet. He jumped the carcass and knelt by her side. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

He reached out and gave her a hand up.

“This is off-script from the dream, Ty. What’s going on? Who is that?”

“I don’t know, but we’ve already changed the outcome. We’re going to make it.”

The cruiser touched down as close to them as possible. Ria thought maybe Ty was right until Chancellor Mortog himself stepped out.

“Frack,” Ty said trying to ease them closer to the crevice.

Mortog’s face was red and his hair quickly became plastered to his head. He stomped toward them, robes billowing out, looking every bit the crazed madman. “Where do you think you’re going?” he bellowed. He slipped and nearly fell before reaching them. He had a laser gun aimed at Ty’s chest. “You cost me a good man and made my security forces look like imbeciles.” The way the rain poured down his face was comical except for the insanity in his eyes.

“Ty.” Ria grabbed his arm knowing there was nothing she could do.

“Your luck has run out. And your little whore is next.” Mortog smiled and aimed.

Ria pushed Ty with everything she had. Pain shot through her left glute as she slammed into a boulder. The scene in front of her took on a surreal dimension as Mortog’s head exploded in blood and gray matter.

“What the frack?” Ria sat upright, wincing with pain from her butt cheek.

Ty scrambled over to her and checked for injuries. She smiled at him and laughed. It came out sounding more than a little crazy.

Above them, Warder Zar was in a cruiser with three men, all with weapons aimed at the remaining security team. On the other side of the team were Dani and Ian in another vehicle, darts drawn, and in some bizarre twist, a third security vehicle, weapons also focused on the first, completed the scene.

“Mortog’s goons have been disarmed.” Ty said, helping her up for a second time. “Your GTO must have shown up.”

She looked into his gray eyes, disbelief giving way to euphoria. “We made it.”

Ria wouldn’t let go of Ty’s hand. She still couldn’t quite believe they’d survived. The dreams had been so real, and the ending had never varied. They stood with the rest of the EPs in the office of the planetary ruler. Supreme Commander Torril Anantha sat behind the behemoth desk and signed an order of temporary planet-wide control. He established a joint leadership between Warder Zar and the young Zander Salvator. Curzans and Mitans would work together to form a new world order on Mitah. One where Curzans were free and equal. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was a start.

Mortog was dead, President Gordat Prayda was locked up back on Sandaria, and things were starting to look up.

The healers had done their work and Rucon looked perfectly fine. His clothes, however, told another story. Prayda had crossed a line that could never be undone. For the time being his containment on Sandaria would do. There were much larger issues for the commander of the GTO to deal with. Upheavals similar to Mitah were erupting across the galaxy with the fall of the empire, and the GTO had only so many resources. Then there were the Portal Masters complicating the situation on Sandaria. In Ria’s opinion, arrest was too good for Prayda. If she ever found herself near him again, he would regret it.

Ria turned to Ty.
“You sure about this?”

After Mortog’s death and living through the dream, Ty had found a peace. Ria had felt it descend over them like a warm blanket. The driving force that had guided him since his parents’ death was fading. In its place were their bond and a universe to explore.

“I killed the acting PR. Even with Anantha’s pardon, too many Mitans want to see me dead. I can visit with the portal. Secretly.”
He cast a glance out the windows to the city of Starfall beyond.
“I’m looking forward to seeing other worlds. And getting to know my mate properly without fearing for our lives.”